LIFE 


ADVENTURES 


^<J      J^ 


H 


BY 


ANDREW. P.  CANOVA, 


OF    PALATKA, 


ASSISTED  BY  L.  S.  PERKINS, 


WITH 


AN  INTRODUCTION  BY  HON.  R.  W.  DAVIS. 


PALATKA,  FLA.: 

THE    SOUTHERN    SUN   PUBLISHING   HOUSE. 

168S. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1885,  by  Andrew  P.  Canova 

and  L.  Sandehs  Perkins,  in  the  office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress, 

at  Washington,  D.  C. 


TO 

MY   COMPANIONS-IN-AKMS, 

AND 

OTHERS   WHO  FOUGHT   FOR   THE    PJ^ACE   AND    PROTECTION  OF  FLORIDA, 

THIS   LITTLE   VOLUME  IS   RESPECTFULLY  INSCRIBED. 

ANDREW  P.  CANOVA. 


sfi. 


George  Washington  Flowers 
Memorial  Collection 

DUKE  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARY 


ESTABLISHED  BY  THE 

FAMILY  OF 

COLONEL   FLOWERS 


RUR 


INTRODUCTION. 


Most  of  the  sketches  contained  in  this  collection  were  contributed 
by  Mr/ Andrew  P.  Canova,  the  author,  to  the  Southern  Sun,  of  Pa- 
latka,  and  attracted  very  general  and  favorable  attention.  While 
never  intended  by  Mr.  Canova  for  other  than  weekly  newspaper  arti- 
cles, the  suggestion  of  their  permanent  preservation  in  some  collected 
form  was  so  often  made  him  that  he  finally  consented  to  give  them  to 
the  public  in  this  little  volume .  It  graphically  deals  with  a  phase  of 
life  in  Florida  which  will  no  where  else  be  found. 

DeBry  and  Barcia  and  Fernandez  and  Sprague  have  written  at  dif- 
ferent times  of  different  epochs,  and  in  several  different  languages,  de«- 
scriptive  sketches  and  snatches  of  our  history,  while  Mr.  Fairbanks, 
in  his  excellent  book,  has  taken  us  along  with  entertainment  and  in- 
struction from  those  early  days  which  knew  Juan  Ponce  de  Leon  and 
Menendez  to  the  times  of  Worth  and  Gaines  and  Clinch. 

But  it  is  left  to  Mr.  Canova  to  pen-paint  the  scenes  and  incidents 
of  soldier-life  and  adventure  during  the  Indian  War  and  to  describe 
those  hardships  which  the  soldier  experienced  in  morass  and  tangled 
scrub,  or  those  pleasures  he  enjoyed  in  bivouac  and  camp.  Hunting 
adventures,  too — and  Indian  life — those  fascinating  realities  which 
cover  themselves  with  a  halo  of  romance.  The  life  of  the  early  "set- 
tler" when  the  bear  and  panther  roamed  the  wilds  of  a  then  sparcely 
Inhabited  State.  These  features  are  all  touched  with  an  unpretentious 
but  smoothly -gliding  pen,  and  make  enchanting  reading  for  Floridians 
of  to-day — to-day,  when  immigration  from  North  and  South  and  East 
and  West  has  filled  or  is  rapidly  filling  our  waste  places — when  the 
palatial  steamboat  plies  the  waters  where  once  quietly  glided  the  canoe, 
and  when  the  scream  of  the  locomotive  is  borne  upon  the  balmy  south- 
em  air  where  once  the  warwhoop  of  the  red  man  resounded. 
Very  respectfully, 

ROBT.  W.  DAVIS. 
Palatka,  Fla.,  Oct.  20,  1885. 


CONTENTS. 


PART     FIRST. 

CHAPTEE  I. 

How  the  Last'Indian  War  Broke  Out — My  First  Adventure 

CHAPTEE  1 1  . 
Our  FirstJCapture  of  Indians — An  Ugly  Customer  -        -        -     17 

CHAPTEE  III. 
A  Disagreeable  Journey,    and  an  Encampment  Among  the  Alligators  23 

CHAPTEE  IV. 

Another  Journey,  and  A  New  Adventure        -        -        -        -        -  27 

CHAPTEE  V. 
A  Florida  Delicacy — Novel  Method  of  Securing  Game        -        -        31 

CHAPTEE  V  I. 
A  Man  Tries  Chicken-Hawk  as  an  Article  of  Food,  "Without  Success — 
We  Eeach  the  Everglades        -------35 

CHAPTEE  VII. 

A  Journey  Across  the  Everglades,  and  a  Promise  of  an  Adventure    39 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 
We  Emerge  From  the  Everglades  and  Have  a  Very  Pleasant  Time     45 

CHAPTEE  I  X  . 
Among  the  Ten  Thous  and  Islands        ------      51 

CHAPTEE  X. 
A  Seven  Days'  Scout  Through  the  Big  Cypress — Closing  Scenes    -    55 


CONTENTS. 


PART    SECOND. 


CHAPTER  I. 
How  Sponges  are  Gathered  and  Disposed  of,  at  Key  West        -  65 

CHAPTER  1 1. 
CatcMng  the  Manatee,  or  Sea-Cow,  on  the  St.  Lucie  River        -        71 

CHAPTER  III. 
Hunting  Bee-Trees  on  the  Upper  St.  Johns — A  Story  and  a  Tragedy    75 

CHAPTER  IV. 
In  Which  a  Company  of  Soldiers  Get  Very  Short  of  Rations      -        81 

CHAPTER  V. 
Description  of  the  Green-Corn  Dance,  and  Other  Seminole  Customs  87 

CHAPTER  V  I. 
Ned  Marr  and  Myself  Try  Our  Fortunes  on  Indian  River        -  95 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Introducing  a  Gentleman  named  "Alligator  Ferguson"    -        -        101 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Some  of  the  Curious  and  Interesting  Inhabitants  of  the  Indian  River 
Region        - ___         _  107 

CHAPTER  IX. 
A  Few  Words  About  Phelps,  the  King  of  Bear-Hunters    -        -        113 

CHAPTER  X. 
Giving  My  Readers  My  Impressions  of  the  Florida  Keys      -  119 

CHAPTER  X  I. 
A  Short  Description  of  the  Tropical  Fruits  Which  Find  a  Home  in 
Florida        ---______  127 

CHAPTER  XII. 
In  Which  the  Inevitable  Finale  is  Given ;  South  Florida  is  Vindicated, 
and  the  Pen  is  Laid  Aside        -        -        -        -        -        -       133 


TH    KORIDA, 


PAKT    FIRST. 


Life  and  Adventures  in  South  Florida. 


PART  I. 


EEMINISCENCES  OF  A  TRIP  THROUGH  THE  EVERGLADES  AND 
BIG  CYPRESS,  DURING  THE  LAST  INDIAN  WAR. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HOW    THE    LAST    INDIAN   WAR    BROKE    OUT.  —  IMY    FIRST    ADVEN- 
TURE. 

In  the  following  pages  I  shall  give,  with  all  possible  ac- 
curacy, my  adventures  during  the  last  Indian  war,  and  it  shall 
be  a  description  of  personal  experiences  and  obsei"vations, 
rather  than  a  history  of  the  war  itself.  In  writing  a  strictly 
truthful  account  of  the  scenes  through  which  I  passed,  as  a 
private  soldier,  in  the  campaign  of  1855-8,  through  the  ex- 
treme southern  portion  of  the  State,  1  shall  hope  to  give  the 
reader  a  view  of  the  subject  from  a  new  and  original  stand- 
point. In  placing  this  series  of  sketches  before  the  public,  of 
course  I  must  say  something  about  the  way  the  war  started. 

Since  the  close  of  the  first  and  greatest  war  with  the 
Seminoles,  there  had  been  two  outbreaks — one  in  1849,  and 
the  other  in  1855.  This  last  war  is  the  one  with  which  we 
now  have  to  deal,  and  according  to  the  most  authentic  ac- 


12  LIFE   AND    ADVENTUaES    IN    SOUTH   FLORIDA. 


counts,  the  trouble  began  on  the  morning  of  December  24th, 
by  the  wounding  of  Lieutenant  Hartsoff  and  his  men,  by  Billy 
Bowlegs. 

Lieutenant  Hartsoff  was  a  civil  engineer,  who  had  been 
establishing  some  land-lines,  near  the  border  of  the  Big 
Cypress,  in  Fort  Simon  Drum  Prairie.  Hartsoff  and  his  corps 
of  assistants  were  encamped  near  a  small  body  of  water 
known  as  Bonnet  Pond.  Bowlegs  had  a  garden  in  the  Big 
Cypress,  about  two  miles  away.  (This  Indian  was  a  noted 
chief  among  the  Seminoles,  and  stood  at  the  head  of  the 
whole  tribe.  He  was  a  short,  powerfully  built  man,  but  his 
physical  endowments  were  insignificant  in  comparison  with 
those  of  Saffaj-eehojee,  his  lieutenant  and  "right-bower." 
This  Indian  was  a  "show"  in  himself.)  Among  other  pro- 
ducts of  this  garden  were  some  magnificent  banana  plants^ 
which  were  the  delight  and  solace  of  the  chief's  heart.  He 
had  reared  them  with  parental  care,  until  they  were  fully  fif- 
teen feet  high,  and  he  was  jealous  of  his  darlings. 

But  some  of  Hartsoff 's  men  (like  a  good  many  of  us) 
couldn't  keep  their  hands  off  the  beauties,  and  when  Bowlegs 
came  through  the  early  mist,  bathing  his  stalwart  ankles  in 
the  dew,  one  morning,  coming  to  his  beloved  garden,  he  was 
surprised  and  shocked  to  find  the  banana  plants,  once  so  tall 
and  graceful,  with  leaves  torn  to  shreds,  and  some  of  the 
stalks  broken  short  off  at  the  ground  by  some  ruthless  hand. 
Bowlegs  knew  at  once  where  the  blame  lay. 

Going  to  Hartsoff 's  camp,  he  accused  the  men  of  the 
outrage.  They  admitted  it  with  the  utmost  coolness,  but  sig- 
nified no  intention  of  making  good  the  loss,  nor  of  giving  any 
cause  for  their  actions,  other  than  that  they  wanted  to  see 
how  "Old  Billy  would  cut  up."  When  Billy  saw  that  re- 
monstrance and  complaint  were  useless,  he  went  back  and 
summoned  his  braves  together.  "Hyeefus!  Eestahotka 
holiwaugus!"  was  the  war-cry.  Early  next  morning  Lieu- 
tenant Hartsoff  and  his  men  were  fired  upon,  and  some  of 
them  were  wounded. 

Hartsoff   ran   into   the   water,  but   began   emptying  his 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  1 3 

Colt's  revolver  at  the  Indians,  who  were  soon  dismayed  by 
the  strange  weapon,  which  did  not  seem  to  require  loading, 
but  which  seemed  to  them  to  be  able  to  kill  every  one  of  them, 
while  they  were  loading  their  rifles.  It  was  the  first  revolver 
they  had  seen,  and  Bowlegs  promised  to  cease  firing  if 
Hartsoff  would  come  out  and  show  his  pistol.  This  ruse  did 
not  succeed,  and  the  Indians  retreated. 

Hartsoff  was  badly  wounded,  but  rallied  his  strength  and 
wrote  an  account  of  the  affair,  to  be  used  in  case  of  his  death. 
Meanwhile  one  of  the  men  (also  wounded)  set  out  for  Fort 
Myers,  sixty  miles  away,  to  convey  the  news  of  the  outbreak. 
In  as  short  a  time  as  possible  a  company  was  dispatched  to 
the  scene  of  the  fray,  and  when  they  got  there  they  found 
Hartsoff  still  alive,  but  in  a  critical  condition.  He  was  carried 
to  Fort  Myers  together  with  his  comrades  who  had  been 
wounded,  and  taken  care  of  in  the  hospital  there. 

War  was  then  proclaimed  against  the  Seminole  Indians  of 
Florida.  Like  a  flash  of  electricity  the  news  encircled  and 
permeated  the  South,  and  Billy  Bowlegs  became  the  target  of 
every  pioneer's  rifle.  I  enlisted  in  1856,  and  did  what  I  could 
for  the  honor  and  glory  of  my  native  State.  But  my  life  was 
rather  a  tame  one  for  the  first  year  of  my  service.  The  next 
year  was  more  eventful. 

In  the  early  part  of  July,  1857,  a  boat  company,  consist- 
ing of  forty-five  men,  commanded  by  Capt.  Jacob  Mickler, 
were  mustered  into  the  volunteer  service  of  the  United  States, 
at  Fort  Brooke,  now  called  Tampa.  Nine  metallic  boats  had 
been  provided,  for  transporting  the  soldiers  down  the  Kissim- 
mee  river,  while  hunting  the  Seminole  Indians.  I  was  mus- 
tered in  with  this  company,  and  cast  my  lot  with  those  who 
were  preparing  to  enter  that  great,  unknown  wilderness — the 
Everglades. 

The  boats  were  hauled  on  wagons  to  Fort  Kissimmee,  a 
distance  of  eighty-five  miles.  Nothing  of  importance  oc- 
curred on  this  trip,  beyond  the  killing  of  several  deer  and 
turkeys,  which  furnished  us  with  an  abundance  of  food. 
Striking  the  river  at  Fort  Kissimmee,  we  encamped  for  the 


14  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

night.  Strange  to  3ay,  we  were  not  annoyed  injthe  least  by 
mosquitoes,  although  it  was  near  mid-summer.  Next  morn- 
ing we  launched  our  boats  on  the  waters  of  the  Kissimmee, 
and  steered  away  into  the  wild  passes  of  the  river,  toward  the 
great  Okeechobee  lake. 

Having  the  current  in  our  favor,  we  proceeded  on  our 
way  without  any  difficulty.  I  had  heard  of  alligators — of 
rusty  old  monsters,  equal  to  trees  in  size,  and  vicious  as 
wolves — but  I  was  not  prepared  for  the  sight  that  met  my 
gaze,  as  our  boats  passed  down  the  Kissimmee.  To  say  that 
they  were  lying  on  the  banks  as  thick  as  leaves  in  an  autumn 
forest,  would  be  scarcely  an  exaggeration.  As  to  their  size, 
I  hardly  wish  to  attempt  to  give  you  a  description.  They 
were  quietly  sleeping  on  the  banks,  as  we  went  along,  and  as 
the  plashing  of  our  oars  waked  them,  they  plunged  into  the 
water  ahead  of  us,  almost  capsizing  our  boats  at  times.  As 
the  report  of  a  gun  at  that  time  would  have  very  likely  had  the 
effect  of  alarming  the  sagacious  redskins,  our  captain  allowed 
no  one  to  shoot  at  the  alligators. 

After  traveling  some  twenty-five  miles,  we  landed  at 
Foi't  Bassinger  and  struck  camp  for  the  night.  We  had  been 
plentifully  supplied  with  mosquito  nets,  but  found  that  we 
could  dispense  with  them  at  this  place  entirely.  The  width 
of  the  river  here  was  about  seventy  yards,  and  so  crooked 
that  one  might  travel  in  a  boat  five  or  six  miles,  land,  and 
walk  half  a  mile,  and  come  to  the  point  he  started  from.  The 
land  at  Fort  Bassinger  was  found  to  be  rich  hammock,  cov- 
ered with  a  heavy  growth  of  live  oak  and  cabbage  palm. 
Early  in  the  morning  we  proceeded  on  our  way  and  reached 
the  lake  about  noon. 

The  river,  here,  ran  between  two  banks  of  almost  im- 
penetrable saw-grass,  through  which  it  emptied  into  the 
Okeechobee  lake.  As  we  rode  out  on  the  bosom  of  this  in- 
land sea,  the  view  reminded  us  of  the  ocean,  for  the  waters 
stretched  away,  until  they  were  lost  in  the  horizon  beyond. 
Myriads  of  white  and  blue  herons  arid  water-turkeys  were 
flying  to  and  fro,  or  feeding  among,  the  rushes  and  lily  pads. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  1 5 

About  two  miles  from  the  mouth  of  the  river,  we  found 
a  beautiful  camping  spot.  It  was  a  hammock  which  extended 
to  the  water's  edge,  and  was  bordered  by  a  nice,  white, 
sandy  beach.  Under  a  canopy  of  overhanging  oak  and  rub- 
ber-tree boughs,  we  pitched  our  tents,  and  enjoyed  a  sub- 
stantial dinner.  Our  men  had  caught  some  fine  bass,  and, 
with  a  dessert  of  papaws  and  rubber-tree  fruit,  we  fared 
sumptuously.  The  fruit  of  the  Ficus  elasticus,  or  rubber- 
tree,  is  somewhat  similar  in  size  and  flavor  to  an  ordinary 
Marseilles  fig.  The  papaw,  we  found  growing  on  a  small 
tree,  about  ten  feet  in  height,  the  fruit  adhering  closely  to  the 
trunk.  The  pulp  has  a  sweet,  aromatic  taste,  reminding  one 
of  a  muskmelon. 

Our  headquarters  were  established  here  for  the  time 
being,  and  aiTangements  made  for  a  week's  encampment. 
All  hands  were  hearty  and  eager  for  "business,"  now  that 
we  had  entered  the  stronghold  of  the  enemy. 

Next  morning,  bright  and  early,  Captain  Mickler  selected 
thirty  men.  Leaving  the  others  to  guard  the  camps,  and, 
taking  six  of  the  boats  our  little  fleet  steered  toward  an  island 
about  four  miles  distant.  Here,  we  confidently  expected  to 
capture  a  lot  of  Indians.  We  could  not  make  much  head- 
way, on  account  of  large  masses  of  floating  water-lettuce. 
Striking  open  water  again,  we  proceeded  about  half  a  mile, 
and  came  to  the  mouth  of  a  small  creek,  which  was  overhung 
with  cypress  branches,  so  low  that  it  was  with  difficulty  that 
we  could  pass  under  them.  Here  we  found  unmis- 
takable signs  of  Indian  encampments ;  shells  of  freshly 
roasted  water- terrapins  (commonly  called  "cooters") 
were  found,  and  many  tracks  were  to  be  seen,  showing 
that  large  numbers  of  the  red  savages  had  been  in  that 
locality  a  short  time  before. 

Proceeding  a  little  farther,  we  discovered  a  large  canoe, 
which,  as  we  afterward  learned,  had  been  captured  from  a 
company  of  regulars  who  had  been  cruising  on  the  lake.  A 
trail  led  from  this  spot  to  an  island  in  the  saw-grass,  about  a 
mile  distant.     At  this  juncture  our  captain  climbed  a  tree,  for 


I6  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

the  purpose  of  taking  a  view  of  the  surroundings.     As  his 
eye  fell  on  the  island,  he  exclaimed: 

"Boys,  there  are  Indians  on  that  island,  and  no  mistake, 
for  the  leaves  of  the  oak  trees  over  there  look  as  though  they 
had  been  blackened  with  smoke.  We  will  swoop  down  on 
the  rascals  and  'gather  them  in.'  " 

He  hastened  down  the  tree  and  picked  out  a  squad  of 
about  seven  men,  and  ordered  them  to  guard  the  boats.  The 
rest  of  us  then  followed  the  trail  that  led  to  the  hiding-place 
of  the  Indians.  The  saw-grass  was  much  higher  than  our 
heads,  and  the  ground  very  boggy ;  we  had  to  step  from  one 
fern  "tussock"  to  another  in  order  to  keep  above  water;  and 
any  one  failing  to  gain  a  foothold,  was  precipitated  up  to  his 
waist  in  the  mud. 

When  we  had  advanced  to  within  a  few  hundred  yards  of 
our  destination,  Captain  Mickler  ordered  a  halt,  and,  in  a  low 
voice,  issued  commands  to  one  of  the  party  to  take  charge  of 
a  company  of  ten  men  and  proceed  to  the  north  side  of  the 
island,  and  to  remain  there  until  orders  were  given  for  a  final 
charge.  The  man  to  whom  this  maneuver  was  intrusted, 
was  a  daring  and  fearless  Southerner,  named  James  Cook,  who 
had  given  unmistakable  proofs  of  intrepidity  and  courage, 
during  the  short  time  he  had  been  with  us.  In  such  a  foe  as 
this,  the  wily  savage  might  find  their  most  daring  young  war- 
riors baffled,  both  in  strategy  and  combat. 

We  stood  there  in  the  saw-grass,  impatiently  waiting  for 
the  final  moment,  while  Cook  and  his  men  silently  glided 
through  the  marsh  toward  the  island. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  17 


CHAPTER    II 

OUR  FIRST  CAPTURE  OF  INDIANS AN  UGLY  CUSTOMER. 

Our  captain,  in  order  to  allow  Cook  and  his  men  to  reach 
their  destination  and  get  in  readiness  for  the  charge,  waited  a 
few  minutes,  and  then  ordered  an  advance.  When  we  were 
within  fifty  yards  of  the  island,  the  sound  of  an  axe  was 
heard,  and  a  moment  afterward,  the  keen  crack  of  a  rifle 
broke  on  our  ears. 

Hastening  forward,  we  found  the  doughty  James  Cook 
standing  guard  over  a  half-a-dozen  squaws  and  "pickanin- 
nies." He  had  surprised  and  captured  them,  as  they  were 
preparing  dinner.  After  hanging  the  venison  pots  over 
the  fire,  they  had  taken  a  rest,  and  were  lounging  on 
a  rude  scaffolding  of  poles  and  cabbaee-palm  leaves. 
Some  of  the  squaws  attempted  to  escape  by  hiding  in 
the  tall  saw'-grass,  but  a  few  shots  from  our  rifles  soon 
brought  them  to  terms,  and  it  was  an  easy  matter  to  find 
and  capture  them.  The  womtn,  although  badly  frightened, 
remained  sullen  and  silent,  but  the  "pickanninies"  (children) 
set  up  a  howl  that  would  have  done  credit  to  a  horde  of  young 
hyenas.  The  poor  creatures  had  been  fearfully  cut  and 
lacerated,  by  running  through  the  tall  saw-grass,  and  their 
faces  were,  as  Jim  Cook  said,  "a  reg'lar  sight." 

Jim  Cook  seemed  to  be  anxious  to  give  them  an  adequate 
idea  of  his  wrath  toward  them,  and  held  his  rifle  in  alarmingly 
close  proximity  to  their  heads,  while  he  shouted : 

"Jist  budge  a  quarter  of  a  inch,  will  you?  Yah  triflin,' 
des-peekable  low-lived  critters !     Open  them  'are  long  yappin' 


lb  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

jaws  o'  yourn  jist  one  time,  and  I  wisher  may   die  if  I  don't 
knock  ye  deader'n  Hec." 

And  a  sulphurous  light  gleamed  in  his  eye  that  meant 
business.  The  squaws,  disregarding  his  last  injunction,  began 
jabbering  a  mixture  of  English  and  Seminole ;  one  old  squaw 
kept  repeating : 

"White  man  holiwaugus,  (no  good) ;  umcah,  loxi- 
dokschay — lie  heap.  Umcah  ;  eesta-hotka — white  man  nO' 
hurt  hopeta  (squaw)  eesta-chatta." 

From  this  highly  intelligent  discourse,  we  inferred  that 
the  dusky  ladies  were  trying  to  make  negotiations  for  peace. 
The  irate  Jim  would  fain  have  made  them  feel  the  weight  of 
his  strong  right  arm,  but  as  he  was  no  coward,  he  restrained, 
himself,  and  was  content  with  the  remark  that,  even  if  they 
were  "pesky,  low-down  Seminole  Injins,"  they  were  women, 
and  he  never  could  "strike  a  'ummern." 

Hung  over  the  fire  were  some  brass  kettles,  in  which  they 
had  been  cooking  dinner,  when  we  surprised  them.  Near  by- 
were  several  baskets  woven  of  wire-grass,  full  of  huckleber- 
ries and  other  wild  fruits.  Hanging  in  one  of  the  wig-wams, 
wei'e  two  chiefs'  costumes,  richly  embroidered  with  beads. 
Some  breast-plates,  hammered  out  of  silver  dollars,  were  also 
found.  We  made  a  dash  for  these,  and  I  was  fortunate 
enough  to  secure  one  of  these  costumes.  This  consisted  of 
a  sort  of  a  waistcoat,  a  pair  of  leggings  and  moccasins,  and  a 
sash.  Each  article  was  covered  with  elaborate  designs, 
worked  in  beads  and  silk,  representing  birds,  fishes,  etc.,  and 
must  have  cost  much  time  and  patience. 

We  were  again  put  on  our  guard  by  the  sound  of  defian. 
yells,  coming  from  the  distance,  and  put  ourselves  in  readiness 
to  withstand  an  attack,  as  it  was  natural  to  suppose  that  the 
warriors,  who  had  left  this  camp,  were  returning,  and  that 
they  would  be  ready  for  battle  when  they  came.  They  did 
not  put  in  an  appearance,  however,  during  our  stay„ 

This  island  was  circular  in  shape,  and  contained  about  an 
acre.     It   was  surrounded   by  a  belt  of  timber,  which  com 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  I9 

pletely  hid  its  occupants  from  the  sight  of  enemies  approach- 
ing from  the  outside.  Within  this  circle,  all  the  timber,  with 
the  exception  of  a  few  large  live  oaks  and  cabbage-palms,  had 
been  cleared  away,  and  the  ground  was  in  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation. Fine  corn,  beans,  and  pumpkins  were  growing 
underneath  the  live  oaks ;  the  vines  had  climbed  the  trees, 
and  the  immense  pumpkins  hung  from  the  limbSj  presenting  a 
strange  appearance. 

Among  our  prisoners  was  a  boy  about  twelve  years  of 
age,  named  E-chepko,  whose  duty  it  had  been  to  post  himself 
in  a  tall  hackberry  tree,  and  give  warning,  in  case  of  the  ap- 
proach of  an  enemy.  A  feeling  of  complete  security  had 
caused  him  to  neglect  his  duty  on  this  eventful  morning,  and 
a  surprise  and  capture  was  the  result. 

After  satisfying  ourselves  that  the  warriors  were  not 
coming,  as  we  had  expected,  preparations  were  made  to  carry 
our  prisoners  to  the  boats.  They  were  all  easily  managed,, 
except  one  old  squaw,  who  manifested  a  decided  reluctance 
in  accepting  our  escort.     In  the  words  of  an  old  song : 

"She  couldn't  and  she  wouldn't,  and  she  shouldn't  come  at  all." 

James  Cook,  who  took  her  in  charge,  then  said,  "Come 
on,  old  gal,  and  let's  go  to  the  boats."  As  she  did  not  accept 
Jim's  proffered  arm,  that  worthy  caught  her  by  the  shoulder, 
and  attempted  to  push  her  forward.  In  vain.  She  set  her 
foot  firmly  on  the  soil,  and  resisted  all  attempts  to  move  her. 
As  a  final  stroke,  she  laid  herself  flat  on  the  ground,  and, 
rolling  her  savage  red  eye  around,  scowled  defiantly  at  Jim. 
He  flew  into  a  rage  at  this,  and,  whipping  out  his  bowie- 
knife,  he  drew  it  lightly  across  her  throat ;  then,  with  an  oath 
that  would  have  made  an  alligator  turn  pale,  he  gave  her  to 
understand  what  would  be  her  portion  if  she  didn't  submit. 

"Don't  kyarve  the  old  critter,"  exclaimed  a  soldier,  in  a 
compassionate  tone.  "If  ye  kill  'er,  we  haint  agwine  to  git 
that  two  hundred  and  fifty  from  the  Guv'ment.  No  ;  jist  wait 
till  the  'thorities  gits  hold  of  'er;  let  'er  jibe  if  ye  kin,  old 
boy,  till  we  can  git  'er  into  camp.  We'll  help  ye  tote  'er  e£ 
we  can't  git  'er  along  nary  nother  way." 


20  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH   FLORIDA. 

She  was  "taken  up  tenderly,  lifted  with  care,"  by  four 
men,  who  had  been  detailed  to  that  duty.  Two  seized  her 
arms,  and  the  other  two  laid  hold  of  her  feet ;  still,  it  was  no 
easy  task  to  carry  the  vicious  old  creature.  She  snapped  like 
a  turtle,  and  grunted  like  an  angry  sow. 

Just  as  we  started  back  with  our  captives,  we  were 
startled  by  the  report  of  a  gun,  in  the  direction  of  the  men 
who  had  been  left  at  the  boats.  When  we  arrived  at  that 
place,  it  was  discovered  that  an  accident  had  happened.  One 
of  the  men  was  floundering  around  in  the  mud  at  a  great  rate, 
and  groaning  loudly.  It  appeared  that  one  of  the  men  had 
handled  his  rifle  carelessly,  and  the  result  of  it  was  that  he 
had  wounded  the  man  in  front  of  him.  The  man,  whose 
name  was  Turnipseed,  received  a  severe  flesh-wound,  which 
caused  him  much  pain,  but  there  was  no  danger  to  be  appre- 
hended. Beyond  a  slight  halt  in  his  gait,  and  an  inability  to 
rest  otherwise  than  by  lyingon  his  side,  he  did  not  give  much 
evidence  of  having  been  the  first  to  fall  on  the  flattle-fieid. 
In  a  week  he  was  as  spry  as  any  of  us,  but  I  believe  he 
selected  somebody  else  to  walk  behind  him. 

We  placed  our  dusky  prisoners  in  the  boats,  and  steered 
for  camp.  Close  watch  was  kept  over  them  lest  one  should 
escape,  for  each  represented  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
We  iiad  fifteen  of  them,  which  amounted,  in  all,  to  about 
three  thousand  seven  hundred  dollars. 

They  made  no  demonstrations  on  the  journey ;  indeed, 
some  of  the  squaws  became  friendly  and  communicative,  and 
€ven  smiled,  at  intervals.  The  children,  however,  kept  up  a 
dolorous  wail  the  entire  distance.  One  of  the  girls,  about 
ten  years  of  age — a  half-breed  of  Spanish  and  Seminole — was 
really  pretty.  She  had  an  intelligent  appearance,  an  olive- 
brown  complexion,  and  long  chestnut  hair,  that  would  have 
been  the  pride  and  glory  of  many  an  English  girl.  When  we 
Towed  out  into  Okeechobee  one  of  the  squaws  pointed  to  an 
inland  far  out  on  the  bosom  of  the  lake,  which  she  said  was 
the  girl's  birth-place.  Pinnewa  (the  girl)  was  hardly  less 
wild  and  untutored, .than  the  herons  and  egrets  that,  like  her, 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  21 


claimed  the  islands  and  marshes  for  a  home.  She  had  never 
seen  white  men  before,  and  she  looked  long  and  earnestly  at 
the  fair  faces  and  flowing  beards  of  our  soldiers,  as  if  she 
thought  them  very  agreeable,  if  not  handsome.  And  as  I 
looked  on  her  soft,  rounded  cheek — almost  the  tint  of  a  ripe 
mango — I  could  not  wonder  that  the  proud-souled  son  of 
Castile  had  deigned  to  call  this  wild  bird  of  the  marshes  his 
daughter. 

Arriving  at  our  camp,  we  assigned  the  prisoners  to  their 
tents,  and  set  a  watch  over  them.  The  old  squaw  who  had 
caused  us  so  much  trouble  had  quieted  down  so  far  as  to  allow 
herself  to  be  led  from  the  boat  without  making  any  resistance. 

When  dinner  was  served  we  all  sat  down  together — white 
and  red — and  captor  and  captive,  with  appetites  sharpened  by 
the  morning's  exercise,  partook  heartily  of  pork  and  beans, 
hard-tack  and  coffee,  garnished  with  side-dishes  of  cooter  and 
soft-shell  turtle,  finished  up  with  a  dessert  of  papaws  and  rub- 
ber-tree fruit. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  23 


CHAPTER  III. 

A    DISAGREEABLE     JOURNEY,     AND   AN    ENCAMPMENT  AMONG    THE 

ALLIGATORS. 

We  passed  that  afternoon  fishing  and  hunting.  One  of 
the  men,  a  half-breed  named  Andrew  Wiggins,  had  quite  a 
reputation  among  the  soldiers  as  a  hunter.  He  never  failed  to 
l)ring  in  a  deer,  when  once  he  got  out  on  the  war-path.  In 
hunting  this  game,  he  had  a  way  of  uttering  a  peculiar  call, 
which  would  decoy  the  unsuspecting  buck  within  easy  range 
of  his  rifle.  Other  of  the  soldiers  spent  the  time  trading  rings, 
ear-bobs  and  other  trinkets  with  squaws,  for  beads  and  mocca- 
sins. The  children  had  fully  recovered  from  their  fright,  and 
vv^ere  rolling  and  tumbling  in  the  waters  of  the  lake. 

From  the  squaws,  we  learned  that  the  warriors  belonging 
to  their  camp,  were  on  a  scouting  expedition  to  Pease  Creek, 
about  a  hundred  miles  distant,  and  that  they  would  return 
within  two  moons.  Next  morning,  Capt.  Mickler  ordered 
preparations  fpr  departure.  The  boats,  which  were  none  too 
commodious  at  first,  were  loaded  to  the  gunwales.  To  add  to 
our  discomfiture,  a  heavy  wind  arose,  when  we  were  five 
miles  out.  The  great  "white-caps"  appeared  on  the  water, 
and  I  never  saw  larger  waves  on  the  ocean,  than  those  were, 
on  Lake  Okeechobee.  The  boats  rolled  and  pitched  around 
in  an  alarming  manner,  and  nearly  every  Indian  was  writhing 
in  the  bottom  of  the  boats,  suffering  the  agonies  of  sea-sick 
ness.  At  last,  we  were  compelled  to  run  into  the  saw-grass, 
to  save  ourselves. 

The  wind  did  not  lull  until  night.  It  was  then  too  dark 
to  travel,  and  there  was  no  land  in  sight ;  so,  we  were  obliged 


24  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH   FLORIDA. 

to  spend  the  night  in  the  boats  as  best  we  could.  The  child- 
ren set  up  a  howl  at  intervals,  and  the  squaws  industriously 
spanked  them  into  silence.  I  had  always  entertained  the  idea 
that  the  Seminoles  were  an  uncleanly  set  of  creatures,  but 
when  I  s^  the  repeated  dippings  the  children  i-eceived  at 
the  hanol. .  of  the  squaws,  I  began  to  think  differently. 
The  pickaninnies  were  held  over  the  side  of  the  boats,  and 
soused  up  to  their  eyes,  at  least  a  dozen  times  during  the 
journey.  The  little  Spartans  took  the  treatment  heroically, 
seeming  rather  to  enjoy  it.  As  the  boats  sped  along,  the 
I'ttle  fellows  were  let  into  the  water,  and  held  by  one 
nand.  It  might  seem  as  though  there  was  some  danger  in 
this  proceeding,  but  perhaps  Jim  Cook  arrived  at  a  correct 
view  of  the  case,  when  he  averred  that  "the  faces  of  them 
there  Injin  squaws  is  so  tarnation  ugly  that  they'd  skeer  away 
the  sassiest  'gator  that  ever  growed."  About  ten  o'clock 
next  morning  we  arrived  at  the  mouth  of  Fish-eating  Creek, 
and  found  such  a  mass  of  floating  "lettuce"  ahead  of  us,  that 
we  could  not  travel  any  farther,  by  the  ordinary  means.  It 
was  simply  impossible,  to  pi'opel  the  boats  with  oars ;  so, 
we  were  compelled  to  fasten  lines  and  tow  them  from  the 
river  bank.  A  man  was  left  in  each  boat,  for  the  purpose  of 
steering  clear  of  the  shore.  Our  tow-path  was  covered 
with  about  six  inches  of  green,  stagnant  water.  Millions 
of  deer-flies  swarmed  around  us,  and  their  keen  bites,  which 
we  could  not  hinder,  on  account  of  pulling  on  the  tow- 
line,  made  us  envy  the  fortunate  quadrupeds,  who  are  fur- 
nished with  tails,  to  defend  themselves  from  the  murderous 
attacks  of  these  insects. 

Suddenly  a  sound  of  curses,  loud  and  deep,  broke  on 
my  ears.  Some  of  the  men  were  stamping  around  like 
mad,  and  began  tearing  off  their  boots.  Soon  an  intolerable 
itching  commenced  on  my  feet,  and  I  learned  the  cause  of 
the  men's  strange  actions.  We  came  to  a  halt,  and  in  a 
few  moments  the  whole  company  were  bare-foooted,  and 
scratching  and  pawing  their  feet  as  if  for  dear  life.  But 
the  more  we  scratched  and  pawed,  the  more  unbearable  be- 
came the  itching,  until,  at  last,  our  feet  felt  as  if  they  were 
on  fire.     We  all  recognized  the  importance  of  getting  out  of 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  25 

that  water,  and  Jim  Cook  gave  such  heroic  jumps  that  one 
might  liave  supposed  that  he  was  trying  to  perform  the  trick 
of  keeping  botli  feet  out  of  the  water  at  once. 

To  repeat  all  of  his  remarks  on  this  occasion  would 
be  rather  out  of  place  here.  His  contortions  were  fearful  to 
look  upon,  and  his  face  was  wn-eathed  in  a  fiendish  grin  of 
mingled  pain  and  satisfaction,  as  he  rubbed  and  scrubbed  his 
prurient  heels.  At  last,  he  yelled:  "Pards,  I'll  be  ever- 
lastin'ly  dad-blamed  if  these  'ere  *  *  varmints  ain't 
eatin'  me  bodaciously  up!  Let's  quit  scratchin'  and  pole  on; 
scratchin'  don't  do  no  good — hit  only  makes'em  wuss." 

Jim  was  right ;  the  trouble  was  greatly  increased  by 
scratching.  '  Putting  on  our  boots,  we  were  soon  out  of  the 
water,  when  the  itching  ceased.  The  irritation  must  have 
been  caused  by  some  poisonous  substance  in  the  water,  al- 
though Jim  stoutly  contended  that  it  was  "varmints,"  and 
swore  that  he  saw  the  little  creatures  swimming  around  in  the 
water. 

We  arrived  at  Fort  Center  near  sunset.  Here,  we  found 
a  company  of  regulars,  who  welcomed  us  heartily,  and 
were  much  svn-prised  at  our  success.  The  Indians  seemed 
grateful  for  an  opportunity  to  stretch  themselves  out  on  the 
dry  ground  once  more,  and  we  were  soon  seated  around  the 
camp-fire,  chatting  of  our  adventures  and  drinking  strong, 
black  coffee,  such  as  only  soldiers  can  make. 

Our  captives  were  placed  in  comfortable  quarters,  and 
we  spread  our  blankets  near  the  stream,  and  lay  down  to 
sleep,  with  no  other  covering  than  the  sky  above  us.  It  was 
midsummer,  and  the  air  was  waim  and  sultry,  but  we  were  not 
troubled  with  mosquitoes.  A  million  frogs  were  singing, 
groaning  and  cro&king  around  us,  but  they  could  only 
lull  us  to  sleep.  We  had  worked  hard  all  day  at  the 
oars,  and  were  soon  snoring  like  good  fellows. 

While  we  were  sleeping  there  by  the  side  of  the  stream, 
we  did  not  dream  of  the  red  enemy,  in  whose  land  we  were 
encamping,  nor  did  we  imagine  that  the  dark  bodies  of   huge 


26  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

alligators  were  gliding  around  us.  No;  the  "soldier's  dreaixi 
of  home"  brought  us  visions  of  wives  and  mothers,  rejoicing 
at  our  return  from  the  perilous  battle-field.  But  the  slimy 
monsters  were  creeping  around  us,  for  what  purpose,  I  can- 
not say  ;  perhaps  they  were  trying  to  discover  what  strange  be- 
ing had  come  among  them  ;  maybe,  they  were  seeking  compan- 
ionship, although  I  never  knew  that  the  alligator  possessed 
such  an  inclination  for  human  society.  The  probable  truth  of 
the  matter  is,  that  the  huge  saurians  were  searching  for  bits  of 
meat  and  bread,  lying  around  the  camp.  It  is  said  that  the 
alligator  is  very  fond  of  young  Seminoles,  and  has  been  known 
to  watch  around  where  the  pickaninnies  were  bathing,  for 
the  purpose  of  seizing  and  caressing  the  little  red  cherubs. 
One  peculiar  feature  of  that  kind  of  business  is  that  the  little 
Indians  are  never  seen  any  more.  Where  they  go,  nobody 
can  tell. 

Possibly,  we  never  would  have  known  anything  about  the 
scaly  rascals  being  in  our  camp,  if  one  of  the  men  had  not 
made  the  discovery.  This  man,  while  asleep,  threw  his  arm 
outward,  and  his  hand  alighted  on  something  so  rough,  cold 
and  slimy  that  he  instantly  awoke.  He  felt  a  fetid  breath 
blowing  on  him,  and,  turning  his  head,  he  looked  right  into 
the  jaws  of  a  large  alligator,  whose  cold  gray  eyes  glittered  in 
the  moonlisrht. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  37 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ANOTHER     VOYAGE,    AND    ANOTHER    DISCOVERY. 

Figuratively,  the  soldier  was  frozen  stiff  with  horror  for  a 
moment,  but  when  he  recovered,  he  opened  his  mouth  to  its 
utmost  capacity,  and  gave  such  a  yell  that  every  man  in  camp 
was  awakened.  We  all  jumped  to  our  feet  and  clutched  our 
guns,  for  we  thought  the  red  devils  were  upon  us.  Ed. 
Marr,  the  man  whose  shout  of  terror.had  awakened  us,  en- 
deavored to  tell  us  what  the  trouble  was,  but  some  of  the 
men  were  running  wildly  around  exclaiming : 

"Where  are  they?  Where  are  the  Indians?"  and  it  was 
some  time  before  everything  was  quiet  again.  The  alligators, 
frightened  by  the  noise,  dropped  into  the  stream  and  easily 
escaped. 

In  the  morning,  the  captain  of  the  regulars  furnished  us 
with  a  wagon  for  the  purpose  of  carrying  our  captives  to  Fort 
Myers,  where  the  Indian  agent  was  stationed.  Fifteen  men 
were  detailed  as  a  guard,  and  I  was  one  of  the  number.  We 
set  out  early,  and  camped  near  Fort  Denaud  that  night.  A 
heavy  rain  set  in  about  the  middle  of  the  afternoon  and  con- 
tinued all  night.  We  had  no  tents,  and  were  obliged  to  lie 
down  and  endure  the  pelting  storm.  I  lay  down  by  a  pine 
log,  covered  my  face  with  my  hat,  and  took  a  rather  moist 
nap.  About  two  o'clock  in  the  morning  I  waked  up,  and 
could  not  move  a  limb,  and  it  was  several  minutes  before  I 
could  turn  my  head.  As  soon  as  I  could  get  up,  I  collected  a 
few  light-wood  knots  and  built  a  fire.     We  were  anxious  to 


aS  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

reach  Fort  Myers,   and  bent  all  our  energies  to  the  task  of 
getting  there  that  day. 

At  noon  we  camped  near  a  scrub-hammock,  Andrew 
Wiggins,  of  course,  had  to  take  his  gun  and  scour  the  woods 
in  search  of  game.  He  crept  softly  as  a  tiger  through  the 
desert  rosemary  and  slanting  spruce  of  the  scrub,  and  kept 
his  eagle  eye  on  the  lookout  for  deer  and  turkey.  He  glided 
along  on  his  hands  and  knees,  and  then  stopped  and  listened, 
at  intervals.  Finally  he  heard  strange  sounds  coming  from  a 
thicket  a  few  hundred  yards  distant.  Springing  to  his  feet  he 
ran  to  the  spot,  and  as  he  came  nearer  the  terrific  growl  of 
the  black  bear  and  the  fierce  scream  of  the  panther  broke  on 
his  ear.  He  saw  the  bear  standing  on  his  haunches,  and  the 
panther  crouching  near  by ;  in  an  instant  the  panther  sprang 
at  her  enemy,  and  a  stream  of  blood  began  trickling  down  the 
bear's  side.  With  an  intermission  of  only  a  few  moments  the 
panther  renewed  the  attack,  and  the  bear  reached  out  eagerly 
for  his  adversary,  who  was  just  a  little  too  quick  for  him.  At 
last  the  panther  made  a  false  move,  and  the  bear  clasped  him 
in  his  hideous  embrace.  With  one  sweep  of  a  paw,  he  dis- 
emboweled his  foe,  who  lay  gasping  in  the  last  throes  of 
death.  The  bear's  victory  was  short-lived,  however,  for 
Wiggins  laid  him  low  with  a  bullet  from  his  rifle.  Wiggins 
said  that  the  combatants  had  beaten  down  nearly  half  an  acre 
of  the  scrub. 

The  triumphant  hunter  skinned  the  bear,  and  dexterously 
severing  a  hind  quarter,  shouldered  it  and  carried  it  into  camp. 
We  were  pleased  at  the  prospect  of  a  "bait"  of  jerked  bear, 
but  our  joy  was  nothing  compared  to  that  of  the  Indian 
squaws,  who  reared  themselves  up  in  the  wagon  and  espied, 
Wiggins  with  the  precious  freight,  coming  in  the  distance. 
With  nostrils  extended,  and  teeth  unsheathed,  they  scented 
the  feast  "from  afar  off." 

"Easta-hotka,  get  lokasee!"  was  their  rapturous  excla- 
mation. "Lokasee"  is  the  Seminole  word  for  bear,  and 
among  their'pigeon-like  chattering,  the  word  was  many  times 
repeated.  "Umcah,  lokasee  good,  ojus ;  cook  'em  quick;  eat 
littlum  raw." 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IE    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  39 

They  wished  us  to  understand  that  we  need  not  wait  to 
cook  it,  as  far  as  they  were  concerned ;  that  they  wei^e  not  so 
fastidious  as  the  easta-hotka,'"  or  white  man.  We  set  some 
stakes  over  the  fire  and  began  broiling  huge  slices  of  meat, 
while  some  of  the  n.en  were  sent  along  with  Wiggins  for  the 
purpose  of  carryingJback  the  remainder  of  the  bear.  After  a 
glorious  feast  we  continued  our  journey,  and  at  noon  the  next 
day  we  reached  Fort  Myers.  Here  we  found  the  agent  and 
transferred  the  prisoners  to  him.  The  squaws  had  expected 
to  meet  the  warriors  at  this  place,  and  began  wailing  piteously 
when  they  found  themselves  disappointed.  They  bade  us  a 
tearful  good-by,  and  shook  hands  with  us  in  a  very  friendly 
manner.  But  they  were  inconsolable  for  the  loss  of  their 
warriors.  We  tried  to  encourage  and  cheer  them  by  telling 
them  that  the  eesta-chattas  would  soon  cheer  them  with  their 
presence.  When  we  left  they  were  wandering  to  and  fro, 
crying  together  like  children. 

Before  long  we  joined  our  comrades  at  the  camp  on  Fish- 
Eating  creek,  and  together  we  went  on  another  Indian 
chase. 

This  time  we  bent  our  course  to  the  east  side  of  Lake 
Okeechobee,  and  searched  closely  every  hammock  as  we  went 
along,  for  our  "blood  was  up,"  and  nothing  but  another 
wholesale  capture  of  Indians  would  satisfy''  us. 

We  made  our  boats  fly  through  the  water  as  fast  as  oars 
and  blankets  (for  sails)  could  make  them  go.  Jim  Cook 
commanded  one  of  the  boats,  and  every  few  minutes  went 
ashore  and  examined  the  land  for  "Injin  signs."  Finally  his 
keen  eye  fell  upon  tracks,  in  the  sand  of  the  beach.  With  a 
smothered  chuckle  of  satisfaction,  he  signalled  the  good  news 
to  Captain  Mickler,  who  immediately  steered  for  the  shore 
Our  captain,  after  examining  the  tracks,  ordered  the  men 
back  to  the  boats,  and  to  Jim's  disappointment,  the  journey 
was  resumed.  After  we  had}  gone  a  mile  or  more,  we  en- 
countered something  else  which  attracted  our  attention.  I 
was  lounging  at  the  bow  of  the  front  boat,  and,  of  course,  was 
able  to  make    discoveries  before  the  others.     Underneath  a 


30  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

group  of  custard-apple  trees,  which  were  growing  in  the 
water  near  the  beach,  I  saw  a  blue  rag  fluttering  in  the 
breeze,  and  called  Captain  Mickler's  attention  to  it.  Im- 
mediately afterward  I  saw  a  canoe  tied  up  close  to  the  shore. 
Our  captain  ordered  the  boat  to  be  put  about,  and  we  pulled 
for  the  shore.  Before  we  reached  the  land  a  squaw  appeared 
and  waded  out  to  the  end  of  the  canoe  above  mentioned,  and 
hung  a  shot-bag  over  the  stern  of  the  boat.  This  was  the 
truce  of  peace,  and  was  understood  by  all  of  us. 

When  we  landed,  all  of  us  had  our  arms  in  readiness  for 
battle,  and  some  of  the  men  were  eager  for  the  fray.  The 
squaw  was  exceedingly  grim  and  uncommunicative.  She 
utterly  refused  to  tell  where  her  better  half  was,  and  perhaps 
things  would  have  gone  a  little  rough  with  her  if  it  had  not 
been  for  a  discovery  made  by  one  of  the  men.  While  hunt- 
ing in  the  dry  grass  and  thickets  near  the  water,  he  espied  a 
dark  form,  lying  half -hidden  in  a  clump  of  custard-apple 
bushes.  Beckoning  one  of  the  men  to  him,  the  two  crept 
silently  upon  the  unsuspecting  redskin. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  3 1 


CHAPTER  V. 

A  FLORIDA  DELICACY NOVEL    METHOD  OF  SECURING  GAME. 

The  Indian,  who  had  been  sleeping  "the  sleep  of  the 
just,"  and  lay  wrapped  in  dreams  while  his  captors  were 
stealing  upon  him,  was  rudely  awakened  by  an  unceremonious 
"laying  on  of  hands."  He  turned  his  affrighted  gaze  toward 
the  men,  and,  seeing  there  was  no  hope  of  escape,  a  diplo- 
matic grin  overspread  his  features,  and  he  rose  to  his  feet, 
held  out  his  hand,  saying:     "How  do?  How  you  do?" 

"Well,  we're  a-doin'  first  rate,  and  you'd  better  thank 
goodness  that  you're  a  doin'  at  all.  What's  your  name,  any- 
how, you  dirty,  half-made  sneakin'  whelp?" 

"My  name  Tommie  ;  me  Seminole,  good,  too  much.  Me 
not  hurt  eesta-hotka — me  good,  ojus,  too  much,  umcah." 

"Well,  Tommie,"  said  Captain  Mickler,  "where  were 
you  going?" 

"Goin'  to  coontee-sassahollober." 

"Where  are  all  the  other  Indians." 

"All  gone  to  coontee-sassahollober,"  he  repeated,  point- 
ing in  the  direction  of  the  Big  Cypress.  He  seemed  will- 
ing to  give  us  information  about  his  people,  and  did  not  ex- 
hibit any  of  that  surly,  taciturn  disposition  that  was  shown  by 
the  majority  of  the  Indians.  His  wife,  however,  had  quite  a 
serious  cast  of  countenance,   and  kept  her  little  boy  close  by 


32  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

her  side,  occasionally  speaking  to  him  in  a  low  yoice,  in 
Seminole.  When  asked  about  the  number  of  Indians  in  the 
neighborhood,  he  replied  by  shaking  his  head  and  saying, 
"Sookkus-chay,"  which  is  the  Indian  word  for  departing. 

We  noticed  some  pots  hanging  over  the  fire,  and  upon 
examining  one,  we  found  that  it  contained  "cabbage  per- 
meeter."  The  fragrant  odor  that  arose  thereform  told  us  that 
it  was  a  luxury  never  to  be  forgotten  when  once  tasted.  The 
manner  ^)i  procuring  the  "permeeter"  is  as  follows:  A 
thrifty  young  cabbage-palm  tree  is  selected,  and  with  an  ax,  the 
leaf-stems  are  cut  off.  About  the  spot,  on  the  trunk  of  the 
palm  tree,  where  the  leaf-stems  begin  to  whither  and  die,  is 
where  the  chopping  must  be  done.  If  it  is  cut  lower  than  this, 
the  bitter,  woody  part  will  be  included,  and  if  higher,  the 
tender  germinal  bud  will  be  lost,  or  sliced  up  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  be  hardly  fit  for  food.  Having  felled  the  trunk,  the 
sheathing  leaf-stems  are  separated,  and  soon  the  snow-white 
"bud"  is  visible.  This,  in  a  thrifty  specimen,  is  about  eigh- 
teen inches  long,  four  inches  in  diameter,  and  cylindrical, 
with  a  bulge  at  the  base.  It  is  so  brittle  that  a  large  piece  of 
it  can  be  broken  up  easily,  with  the  fingers  ;  is  as  smooth  as 
glass,  and  whiter  than  ivory.  When  raw,  the  bud  resembles 
a  green  chestnut  in  taste.  But  let  it  once  be  properly  cooked  ; 
stewed  with  ham  or  breakfast  bacon,  and  served  with  cream 
and  butter,  with  a  sprinkling  of  pepper — oysters,  green  corn 
and  pumpkin  pie  sink  into  insignificance.  A  lingering, 
"soul-filling,  hunger-killing"  sensation  is  experienced,  as  the 
gastronomist  takes  his  first  bite.  I  am  speaking  in  earnest, 
when  I  say  that  palmetto  cabbage  is  the  raciest,  most  tooth- 
some dish  that  ever  came  to  my  acquaintance  since  I  was  old 
enough  to  know  what  it  was.  Even  as  I  write,  I  long  to  toss 
my  pen  aside  and  rush  into  the  wild  hammocks,  where  the 
coveted  delicacy  grows  in  abundance. 

The  other  pot  contained  "comptie."  I  cannot  well  tell 
just  what  that  is,  for  I  don't  think  there  is  anything  like  it 
growing  in  the  North.  It  is  the  root  of  a  plant  that  is  found  in 
immense  quantities  in  South  Florida.  The  roots  ai"e  macer- 
ated in  a  mortar,  and  a  fine  quality  of  flour  is  obtained,  which 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  33 

contains  a  very  large  percentage  of  starch.  When  cooked  it 
resembles  arrowroot  in  taste  and  character.  It  is  used  very 
extensively  a&  a  breadstuff  among  the  Indians,  who  call  it 
"soff-kee,"  after  it  is  cooked. 

"We  also  noticed  a  number  of  large  birds  called  "cor- 
morants" in  that  region,  which  had  been  placed  so  as  to  bro  il 
over  the  fire.  Seeing  that  the  Indian  had  no  lock  on  his  gun, 
and  of  course  could  not  use  it,  Captain  Mickler  asked  him 
how  he  got  the  birds. 

"Hannah,"  he  answered,  pointing  at  his  wife,  "go 
rookery;  take  stick — knock  'em  down." 

It  was  true.  The  woman,  disregarding  all  accepted  rules 
of  sportsmanship,  took  a  stout  cypress  limb,  and,  creeping 
under  the  trees  where  the  birds  had  selected  a  roost,  com- 
menced such  a  fierce  onslaught  on  them  that  but  few  of  the 
luckless  creatures  escaped. 

About  this  time,  our  captain  ordered  the  men  to  chop  the 
Indian  canoe  to  pieces.  The  owners  looked  on  with  rueful 
countenance,  but  said  nothing. 

The  myriads  of  custard-apple  trees  around  us  were 
loaded  with  fruit,  but  none  of  it  was  ripe.  Captain  Mickler 
picked  one  of  them,  and  asked  Tommie  if  it  was  fit  to  eat. 

"No  good,  holiwaugus.  Tomollow,  ripe;  good,  too 
much." 

He  meant  that  next  day  it  would  ripen.  The  fruit  is 
about  as  large  as  a  quince.  A  grove  of  custard-apple  trees, 
full  of  fruit,  will  perfume  the  air  for  half  a  mile  around. 

We  manned  our  boats  and  left  with  our  captives,  steer- 
ing our  course  toward  the  south  end  of  Lake  Okeechobee. 
After  traveling  five  miles,  we  reached  that  point  and  began 
looking  for  an  outlet  into  the  Everglades,  but  without  success. 
We  were  bounded  by  a  high,  almost  impenetrable  wall  of 
saw-grass,  through  which  the  water  from  the  lake  oozed  its 
way  to  the  Everglades. 


34  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 


We  went  on  about  three  miles  farther,  and  reached  an 
Indian  town.  Here  we  saw  several  palmetto  huts,  and  the 
place  looked  as  if  it  had  been  deserted  for  many  years.  In 
answer  to  a  question  as  to  who  lived  there,  Tommie  said : 

"Miccosukie  ;  no  good — thief,  too  much." 

Miccosukie  was  the  name  of  a  tribe  who  had  lived  apart 
from  other  tribes,  plundering-  their  neighbors  and  murdering 
women  and  children.  Tommie  told  some  fearful  tales  of  their 
depi'edations. 

Next  day  we  landed  on  Observation  Island,  and  in  my 
next  chapter  I  will  tell  my  readers  what  we  saw  there. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  35 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A    MAN    TRIES    CHICKEN-HAWK  AS    AN   ARTICLE  OF    FOOD,  WITH- 
OUT SUCCESS WE  REACH  THE    EVERGLADES. 

Observation  Island  is  about  three-fourths  of  a  mile  in 
length,  and  one-fourth  of  a  mile  wide.  It  has  a  hard,  white 
sandy  beach,  and  is  known  as  a  favorite  resort  for  turtles. 

On  landing  at  the  island,  a  curious  sight  met  our  eyes. 
The  ground  was  literally  paved  with  turtles  and  cooters,  some 
of  which  were  industriously  digging  in  the  sand,  forming  a 
place  in  which  to  deposit  their  eggs.  The  fierce,  gray-eyed 
soft-shell,  the  bright,  yellow-striped  cooter,  and  his  odorifer- 
ous companion,  the  "alligator  turtle,"  were  dwelling  together 
in  unity,  but  there  was  consternation  among  them  as  we  came 
up ;  which  was  plain,  from  their  frantic  scrambles  toward  the 
water. 

We  hurried  ashore,  and  commenced  a  raid  on  the  un- 
fortunate reptiles.  I  secured  half-a-dozen  without  accident, 
and  letired  with  my  struggling,  kicking  captives  to  a  shady 
spot,  where  I  made  them  secure  with  a  few  strips  of  tough 
bark.  One  man,  a  long,  lean  Tar-heel,  named  Turnipseed, 
was  not  so  fortunate.  While  wrestling  with  a  giant  soft-shell 
turtle,  the  vicious  chelonian  grabbed  him  by  the  thumb  and 
held  on  like  "grim  death."  There  is  a  superstition  prev- 
alent among  some  people,  to  the  effect  that  a  turtle  will  not 
relax  his  hold  "until  it  thunders."  Perhaps  Turnipseed 
had  began  to  have  that  opinion,  for  the  soft-shell  tightened  his 
gi'ip,  and,  drawing  in  his  head,  plunged  forward  so  suddenly 


36  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IX    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

that  the  Tar-heel  was  obliged  to  move  his  arm  accordingly,  to 
save  his  thumb.  The  turtle  continued  to  plunge  and  rear, 
but  there  is  a  limit  to  human  endurance.  Notwithstanding 
his  peculiar  name,  there  was  nothing  small  about  Mr. 
Turnipseed.  He  didn't  swear,  and  tear  around,  nor  curse, 
nor  wish  that  the  vicious  reptile  was  in  the  covmtry,  of  which 
they  say  the  pepper  is  a  native.  No,  he  simply  held  up  the 
turtle  by  his  thumb,  and  waiting  until  its  neck  was  sufficiently 
extended,  made  a  skillful  swipe  of  his  knife,  and  the  body  fell 
to  the  ground.  The  head,  however,  remained,  and  Mr.  T. 
had  to  practice  some  surgery  before  he  finally  got  his  thumb 
free. 

Vie  considered  we  had  plenty,  when  two  dozen  of  the 
snapping  turtles  were  thrown  into  the  boats.  On  close  in- 
spection, we  failed  to  discover  any  signs  of  Indians,  and  of 
course  our  only  alternative  was  to  return  to  the  mainland. 

When  we  arrived  at  the  camp,  we  found  some  little  ex- 
citement among  the  soldiers.  It  appeared  that  one  of  the 
men  had  shot  a  chicken-hawk,  and  insisted  upon  having  it  for 
his  dinner,  despite  the  remonstrances  of  the  men.  Not  long 
after  he  had  finished  his  meal,  he  complained  of  intense  pain 
in  the  stomach.  When  we  arrived,  he  was  almost  delirious, 
and  the  physician  of  the  camp  was  doing  his  best  to  alleviate 
the  man's  sufferings. 

Our  captive,  Tommie,  seemed  much  concerned  about  the 
man's  condition,  and  repeatedly  begged  Dr.  Oliver  to  let  him 
try  a  cure.  The  doctor  at  last  consented,  and  Tommie  dis- 
patched his  squaw,  Hannah,  to  the  woods  for  the  purpose  of 
gathering  roots  and  herbs.  He  then  took  the  man's  hands  in 
his  own,  and  repeated  a  strange  jargon  of  unintelligible 
sounds,  and  passed  his  hands  over  the  man's  face.  The 
voodoo  operations  had  no  effect,  and  when  Hannah  returned 
with  an  apron  full  of  leaves,  Tommie  bruised  them  together 
in  his  hands,  and  then  put  them  in  the  man's  ears  and  mouth, 
at  the  same  time  repeating  the  gibberish  of  a  voodoo.  All  to 
no  purpose.  After  a  few  struggles,  the  man  lay  still  in  death 
before  us. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  37 

Tommie  seemed  greatly  affected  at  the  unfortunate  ter- 
mination of  his  case,  and  tried  to  explain  to  us  that  the 
moon's  phase  was  unfavorable  to  a  cure.  We  buried  our 
comrade  under  a  rubber-tree,  and  inscribed  the  name  in  the 
bark,  over  his  head,  which,  no  doubt,  can  be  seen  until  this 
day,  perhaps  partly  effaced  by  the  growth  of  the  tree. 

Next  morning,  we  set  out  on  the  journey  to  Fort  Myers, 
and  after  two  days  of  rowing  on  the  Caloosahatchie,  we  ar- 
rived at  our  destination,  and  delivered  Tommie,  Hannah  and 
the  boy  to  the  Indian  agent. 

After  securing  a  receipt  for  the  Indians,  Captain  Mickler 
was  furnished  with  a  guide,  an  old  Spaniard,  named  Phil- 
lippi,  and  an  Indian  squaw,  called  Polly,  a  former  wife  of 
Chi-ee,  a  famous  Seminole  chief. 

We  again  impelled  our  boats  down  the  Caloosahatchie, 
and  arrived  at  Punta  Rassa,  where  the  river  empties  into  the 
Gulf  of  Mexico.  At  that  point  we  entered  the  salt  water, 
and  cruised  along  the  coast,  southward.  Mullet  and  pompino 
were  our  chief  diet,  and  the  men,  who  had  grown  tired  of 
fresh-water  fish,  feasted  on  these  products  of  the  "briny  deep" 
with  unlimited  zest. 

Sanibel  Island,  off  Punta  Rassa,  is  famous  for  its  wild 
hogs  and  deer.  Before  leaving  for  Shark  river,  some  of  the  men 
went  across  to  that  island  and  began  chasing  the  long-toothed 
boars.  Andrew  Wiggins  was  one  of  the  party,  and  proposed 
to  show  the  others  just  how  easy  he  could  lay  the  vicious 
game  low.  They  "jumped"  a  herd  of  the  swine,  digging  in 
a  small  pond,  in  search  of  "wampee,"  an  aquatic  plant, 
something  on  the  order  of  Arum,  or  Indian  turnip.  Andrew 
Wiggins  unceremoniously  interrupted  their  meal  by  firing 
among  them,  and  he  wounded  one  so  badly  that  it  set  up  a 
fearful  scream.  One  old  boar  became  greatly  enraged  at  this, 
and  with  a  blood-curdling  "gosh-gosh,"  and  rattling  grunt, 
trotted  straight  for  Wiggins,  who  turned  and  ran  for  a  tree. 
It  was  wise  for  him  to  do  so,  for  the  angry  animal  was  right 
at  his  heels,  when  he  reached  a  small  oak  tree.  With  the 
agility  of  a  squirrel  he  climbed  the  tree,  and  the  boar,  finding 


38  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

himself  disappointed,  commenced  rooting  at  the  foot  of  the 
oak.  Whethei-  the  boar  would  ultimately  have  overturned  the 
sapling,  I  cannot  say,  but  as  soon  as  Wiggins  could  get  a 
firm  foothold,  he  stopped  the  tunnelling  operations  v\^ith  a 
bullet  from  his  rifle.  We  killed  several  fine  young  shoats, 
and  carried  them  to  the  boats. 

Shark  River  flows  into  the  Gulf  about  eighty  miles  south 
of  Punta  Rassa,  and  after  traveling  two  days,  we  reached  the 
mouth  of  the  river.  Proceeding  up  this  stream  eight  miles 
we  selected  a  camp,  amid  the  mangrove  trees.  The  ground 
was  dry,  although  not  niore  than  three  feet  above  the  water. 
Roaming  around  the  forest  that  evening,  I  found  a  tree  cov- 
ered with  grape-vines,  on  which  hung  the  finest  grapes  I  ever 
saw.  They  were  larger  than  muscadines,  covered  with  a 
deep  purple  bloom,  and  so  juicy  and  rich  that  they  were  near 
bursting.  Neither  before,  nor  since,  have  I  ever  seen  such 
magnificent  grapes. 

Next  day  we  entered  the  Everglades.  Mangrove  forests 
were  behind  us  ;  and  before  us,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach, 
could  be  seen  nothing  but  an  ocean  of  saw-grass,  dotted  with 
small  islands,  on  which  a  few  cocoa- plum  and  myrtle  trees  were 
growing. 

Many  people  who  have  heard  of  the  Everglades  all  their 
lives,  have  no  idea  of  what  the  country  looks  like.  Some 
imagine  it  to  be  a  beautiful  forest,  where  tropical  birds 
fly  through  fruit-laden  trees ;  others  imagine  that  it  is  an 
El  Dorado,  where;  one  is  almost  sure  to  find  gold  or  jewels. 
I  understand  that  one  j)rominent  writer,  and  citizen  of  Florida, 
pretending  to  write  from  experience,  says  that  the  Everglades 
will  yet  become  the  greatest  winter  resort  in  Florida.  He 
speaks  of  "high,  rolling  land,  wild  orange  groves,  and  a  rich 
soil  and  healthy  climate,  which  must  some  day  gain  for  it  a 
world-wide  reputation  as  a  resort  for  invalids."  I  can 
scarcely  conceive  of  a  more  shameless  misrepresentation.  In 
my  next  chapter  I  will  give  a  description  of  the  Everglades,* 
which  I  am  ready  to  substantiate  in  every  particular. 


LIFE    AND    ADVEXTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  39 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A     JOURNEY     ACROSS     THE     EVERGLADES,    AND     A    PROMISE    OF 
AN     ADVENTURE. 

Standing  on  the  edge  of  the  Everglades,  we  could  look 
each  way,  and  discern  the  line  of  demarkation  as  plainly  as 
ever  was  seen  in  a  field  or  lake.  The  confines  of  the  great 
morass  ran  in  almost  a  straight  line  north  and  south,  and 
melted  away  into  the  dim  distance  on  each  side  of  us.  At 
our  feet  lay  a  warm,  reeking  mass  of  water  and  decaying 
vegetation,  and  around  us  stood  myrtle  and  cocoa-plum  trees, 
laden  with  fruit.  An  intense  silence  prevaded  the  whole 
scene.  Far  ahead  of  us  we  could  see  the  white  heron  and  the 
roseate  spoonbill,  expanding  their  wings  in  the  warm  sun- 
light, but  they  uttered  no  sound.  A.  solitary  flamingo  spread 
his  scarlet  pinions  on  the  air,  and  slowly  wended  his  flight  to 
the  south,  at  last  looking  like  a  blazing  red  star,  sinking  into 
the  horizon  of  the  saw-grass  and  myrtle. 

The  water  was  less  than  six  inches  deep,  and  we  could 
easily  foresee  that  the  journey  would  be  a  difficult  one,  for  the 
boats  would  have  to  be  drawn  over  the  fields  of  saw-grass  by 
main  strength. 

Captain  Mickler  ordered  that  two  of  the  largest  boats  be 
sent  back,  as  they  were  too  large  to  be  hauled  along  like  the 
other  boats.  Accordingly,  William  Mickler,  the  captain's 
brother,  assumed  the  task  of  taking  them  back,  and  we  pre- 
pared for  the  journey  across  the  Everglades.  All  of  us 
entered  the  water  with  the  exception  of  Polly,  the  Indian 
squaw,  who  sat  in  the  prow  of  the  foremost  boat.  Five  men 
were  assigned  to  each  boat ;  one  behind  and  two  on  each  side. 


40  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

and  we  had  all  we  could  do  to  push  them  along,  akhough 
they  contained  nothing  but  rations,  ammunition  and  guns. 
Polly,  who  was  to  act  as  our  guide,  gave  her  directions  to 
Phillippi,  who  interpreted  them  to  us  in  English,  She  had 
crossed  the  Everglades  eighteen  years  before,  and  yet  she 
knew  the  way  just  as  well  as  if  she  had  made  the  trip  a  hun- 
dred times.  No  mariner's  compass  could  have  guided  us 
across  this  trackless  waste  with  more  precision  than  did  this 
hideous  old  hag. 

Occasionally  Captain  Mickler  would  order  a  halt,  and  go 
to  an  island,  climb  a  cocoa-plum  tree,  and  take  a  long  look  at 
the  surrounding  country.  As  far  as  he  could  see  there  was 
no  variation  of  the  monotonous  scenery.  On  examining  these 
islands  we  found  that  they  were  only  a  few  inches  above  the 
water,  and  the  soil  seemed  to  consist  of  rotten  limestone, 
covered  with  a  thin,  hard  crust,  which  broke  through  as  we 
walked  upon  it.  Underneath  was  a  whitish,  calcareous,  ill- 
smelling  soil,  mixed  with  shells.  But  the  cocoa-plum  trees 
which  grew  in  such  numbers  on  every  island,  were  a  boon  to 
us.  There  are  two  varieties — the  black  and  the  white  cocoa 
— and  the  fruit  is  about  the  size  of  a  green-gage  plum.  The 
pulp  is  very  sweet  and  good,  and  very  refreshing.  After  the 
pulp  has  been  eaten,  the  seed  is  cracked,  and  inside  is  found 
a  substance  that  resembles  chocolate  very  closely,  both  in 
taste  and  appearance.  It  is  claimed  that  the  seed  possesses 
many  properties  of  Erythroxylon  coca.  One  thing  I  am  sure 
of  is,  that  eating  the  seeds  seemed  to  enable  one  to  do  a 
greater  amount  of  labor  without  fatigue,  than  was  possible 
before. 

Occasionall.y  we  crossed  the  little  rills  trickling  their  way 
sluggishly  toward  the  south.  These  little  streams  were 
hardly  ever  more  than  six  feet  across  and  contained  a  few 
species  of  swamp  fish.  The  water  was  not  more  than  a  foot 
deep  and  the  current  was  scarcely  discernable. 

Strange  to  say,  we  saw  no  alligators  nor  snakes  on  this 
journey,  nor  the  slightest  trace  of  any  reptile  except  an 
occasional     cooter.       At    sunset    we    were    weary    indeed, 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  4I 

although  we  had  traversed  a  distance  of  only  twelve  miles. 
Behind  us  lay  the  long,  winding  path  made  by  our  boats, 
through  the  saw-grass.  Our  course  was  toward  the  Miami, 
on  the  Atlantic  coast — about  east-northeast.  At  night  we 
went  on  to  an  island,  where  the  ground  was  a  little  dry,  and 
prepared  for  the  night.  The  myrtle,  which  grows  in  such 
abundance  on  these  islands,  is  very  brittle,  and  we  had  no 
difficulty  in  preparing  couches  of  the  fragrant  boughs.  We 
built  a  fire  of  the  dry,  dead  branches,  and  were  soon  com- 
fortably seated  around  a  smoking  supper,  making  ourselves 
just  as  merry  as  if  we  were  at  home,  and  not  forced  to  roam 
through  one  of  the  most  desolate  deserts  known  to  mortal 
man. 

When  we  retired  to  rest  on  our  couches  of  sweet  myrtle 
boughs,  sleep  came  to  us  on  swift  wings.  Not  a  mosquito 
nor  sand-fly  appeared  to  keep  us  awake,  and  apparently,  we 
just  pressed  the  couches,  and  then  opened  our  eyes  to  the  ris- 
ing sun.  Never  did  I  sleep  more  perfectly  and  refreshingly. 
I  cannot  say  whether  this  was  owing  to  the  cocoa-plum  seeds 
I  had  eaten,  or  not. 

It  is  my  honest  opinion  that  we  never  could  have  gone  a 
mile  into  the  Everglades,  without  the  aid  of  the  boats,  for 
the  soil  was  so  soft  and  boggy,  that  as  soon  as  we  relaxed  our 
hold  on  the  boats  we  sank  above  our  knees.  Nobody  knows 
how  much  deeper  we  would  have  sunk.  All  the  hardships  I  had 
ever  endured  were  nothing,  compared  to  this.  Very  often  we 
leaned  over  in  the  boats,  thoroughly  exhausted,  by  our  exer- 
tions. It  was  an  almost  superhuman  task  to  shove  the  boats 
along,  and  when  we  were  once  out  of  sight  of  dry  land,  the 
prospect  was  indescribably  dreary — a  circle  of  saw-grass  and 
little  islands  in  every  direction.  I  think  I  can  safely  say  that 
no  human  being  ever  did,  or  can,  accomplish  the  feat  of 
crossing  the  Everglades  on  foot  and  unaided. 

On  the  second  day's  journey,  we  observed  no  change  in 
the  character  of  the  surroundings.  The  islands  ahead  of  us 
looked  as  if  they  were  high  and  dry,  and  gave  impressions  of 
an  earthly  paradise,  with  their  soft  verdure,  colored  fruits  and 


42  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

shady  trees.  But  when  we  reached  them,  the  hallucination 
faded,  and  the  stern  reality  was  before  us.  Noisome  weeds, 
growing  on  a  low,  unhealthy  soil  and  a  few  cocoa-plum  and 
custard-apple  trees,  covered  with  white-flowered  vines,  were 
all  that  met  our  disenchanted  vision. 

As  well  as  I  can  remember,  none  of  these  islands  con- 
tained more  than  an  acre  and  a  half  of  land,  and  eighteen 
inches  was  the  greatest  elev^ation  above  the  water. 

The  weary,  toiling  soldiers  became  discouraged  at  the 
dreary  prospect  around  them  and  showed  signs  of  dissatisfac- 
tion. Like  the  soldiers  who  accompanied  Columbus  on  his 
voyage  of  discovery,  they  began  to  express  doubts  as  to  the 
reliability  of  the  guide.  They  at  last  openly  declared 
that  Polly  was  misleading  them,  and  expressed  an 
unwillingness  to  let  the  alligators  and  herons  wrestle 
with  their  bones,  in  that  forsaken  solitude.  It  must 
be  said,  right  here,  to  the  lasting  credit  of  Jim  Cook, 
that  he  was  prompt  and  effectual  in  quelling  the  incipient 
mutiny  among  the  men.  His  iron  will  and  straightforward 
and  convincing  dialect  had  the  desired  effect  and  equanimity 
was  soon  restored. 

At  night  we  had  made  about  the  same  distance  that  we 
traveled  the  first  day — twelve  miles.  As  before,  an  island 
was  our  resting-place. 

In  the  morning  we  resumed  the  journey,  and  it  is  hardly 
necessary  to  repeat  that  we  were  much  discouraged  at  the  non- 
appearance of  land.  I  say  "land,"  for,  of  course,  we  were  as 
much  "at  sea,"  as  if  we  were  on  the  ocean. 

Captain  Mickler  climbed  a  tree,  about  twenty  feet  high, 
and  looked  eastward.  Soon  he  gave  an  exclamation  of  de- 
light, and  told  us  that  we  might  give  ourselves  no  uneasiness 
as  there  was  land  in  sight.  He  could  discern  plainly  the  line 
of  timber  skirting  Biscayne  Bay.  This  was  about  nine 
o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  when  night  came,  we  were  within 
eight  miles  of  the  Miami. 


I.IFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  43 

At  last,  we  were  going  to  get  out  of  this  unliallowed 
place.  We  were  footsore  and  weary,  and  as  we  had  to  slake 
our  thirst  with  the  loathsome  lime-water  that  oozed  through 
the  grass  at  our  feet,  we  were  suffering  from  the  effects  of  it. 
Some  of  the  men  declared  that  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold 
would  not  tempt  them  to  make  another  trip  through  the  Ever- 
glades. 

It  was  perhaps  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  of  the  fourth 
day,  when  we  saw  something  ahead  of  us,  which  caused  us  to 
halt  and  hurriedly  "call  a  council  of  war."  About  two  miles 
ahead  we  discerned  what  we  supposed  to  be  an  army  of 
Indians  coming  toward  us. 

"Well,  boys,"  said  the  captain,  "we  are  pretty  well 
worn  out,  but  I  guess  we  will  manage  to  give  them  a  warm 
deception." 

With  silent,  eager  movements,  the  men  put  themselves  in 
readiness  for  a  tussle  with  the  savasres. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  45 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

WE     EMERGE     FROM     THE     EVERGLADES,      AND     HAVE     A     VERY 
PLEASANT    TIME. 

With  renewed  energy  in  our  sinews,  we  laid  hold  of  the 
boats  and  sent  them  rushing  through  the  water.  It  surely- 
looked  as  if  we  ought  to  be  rewarded  for  our  long,  wearisome 
struggle,  and  some  of  the  men  thought  that  a  liberal  number 
of  captives  would  idemnify  them  for  their  trouble. 

Steadily  we  advanced,  and  as  steadily  did  the  seeming 
enemy  approach  us,  until  they  were  only  half  a  mile  distant, 
when,  to  our  astonishment,  we  discovered  that  we  were  soon 
to  be  joined  by  a  company  of  regulars,  instead  of  the  human 
game  we  had  been  expecting.  The  friendliest  greetings 
passed  between  our  company  and  that  of  Captain  Doubleday, 
the  commander  of  the  regulars.  In  replying  to  questions, 
they  answered  evasively,  saying  that  our  guide  would  prob- 
ably be  more  reliable  than  theirs.  It  was  evident  that  they 
had  been  lost,  and  were  not  willing  to  confess  it.  So  they 
fell  in  behind  and  started  back  with  us. 

After  traveling  two  miles  we  came  to  a  spot  where  Polly 
commenced  an  excited  discussion  in  Seminole,  with  Phillippi. 
That  old  worthy  said  that  Polly  pronounced  the  little  rivulet  at 
our  feet  to  be  the  head  of  the  Miama  river.  Polly  piped  out 
in  her  shrill,  panther-like  voice : 

'  'Sookus-hechek-opko !  lokasee  ;  ojus ! ' ' 


46  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

We  all  understood  the  word  "lokasee,"  and  permission 
was  speedily  obtained  to  follow  a  bear  which  was  running 
across  from  one  island  to  another.  The  chase  was  a  short 
one  ;  the  bear  took  refuge  on  an  island,  and  was  soon  sur- 
rounded and  killed.  As  we  went  on,  the  rivulet  broadened 
and  deepened  so  that  we  could  launch  our  boats.  What  a 
relief  it  was !  We  had  been  forced  to  shove  them  along 
through  the  mud  and  grass,  but  now  we  could  use  the  oars, 
and  we  were  happy.  The  bear  was  safely  lying  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boat ;  the  Everglades  were  behind  us,  and  a  prospect  of 
rest  before  us.  Some  of  the  men,  more  sentimentally  in- 
clined, lifted  their  voices  and  sang.  We  were  gliding  over 
the  purest,  clearest  water ;  pines,  hammocks,  and  other 
familiar  objects  greeted  our  vision,  and  palms  dipped  their 
fern-like  leaves  in  the  crystal  stream.  As  we  rowed  on,  the 
leafy  woods  on  each  side  echoed  the  music : 

"Quickly  our  boats  are  now  gliding  along 

Gliding  along, 

Gliding  along; 
Swiftly  we're  rowing  in  time  with  our  song, 

Rowing  in  time  with  our  song. 

"Forest  and  meadows  are  passing  behind, 

Passing  behind, 

Passing  behind; 
Odors  so  sweetly  are  borne  on  the  wind, 

Odors  are  borne  on  the  wind." 

In  high  glee  we  rowed  into  Fort  Dallas,  at  the  mouth  of 
the  Miami  river.  Here  we  saw  many  nice  frame  houses 
among  the  cocoa  palm  trees.  The  ground  was  high  and  dry, 
and  the  sea  breeze  was  most  refreshing  after  our  sojourn 
through  the  Everglades.  No  better  place  could  have  been 
found  for  a  camp.     We  stayed  here  two  days  and  recruited. 

The  guava  bushes  were  full  of  delicious  fruit,  and  no 
one  can  say  that  we  did  not  do  them  ample  justice.  Next  to 
a  peach,  I  think  the  guava  is  the  most  delightful  fruit  under 
the  sun.  No — I  will  not  say  that — for  the  guava  stands 
without  riva  1 ;  it  is  the  queen  of  fruits.  The  man  that  says 
we  didn't  h  ave  plenty  of  cocoa-nuts,  makes  a  grand  mistake. 
We  ate  the  m,  and  drank  the  milk,  until  we  didn't  have  a  very 
good  opinion  of   them.     One  man  ate  so  many  jelly-cocoa- 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  47 

nuts  that  he  was  seized  with  severe  cramps  in  the  stomach, 
and  came  near  dying.  Maybe  my  readers  would  like  to  know 
what  a  "jelly-cocoa-nut"  is.  It  is  nothing  more  nor  less  than 
a  very  young,  unripe  nut ;  at  that  stage  the  flesh  has  a  jelly- 
like consistency,  and  the  milk  is  indescribably  delicious,  but 
it  is  dangerous  if  eaten  without  moderation. 

When  the  two  days  had  passed  away  we  were  in  fine  con- 
dition for  another  journey.  The  jelly-cocoa-nut  man  had 
recovered,  and  all  went  merry.  It  did  not  require  much  time 
to  prepare  ourselves  for  the  trip.  At  sunrise  we  set  out  over 
the  waters  of  Biscayne  Bay,  toward  the  south.  The  weather 
was  delightful,  and  after  bidding  adieu  to  our  friends,  the 
regulars,  the  cocoa-nut  groves  were  left  behind.  Fine  ham- 
mock skirted  the  beach ;  rubber,  hackberry,  saffron-plum 
mastic,  pigeon-plum  and  "gumbolimbo"  were  among  the 
tropical  trees  we  saw.  The  fruit  of  a  mastic  tree  is  about  the 
size  of  a  plum,  yellow,  and  has  a  soft,  juicy  pulp,  with  a  cin- 
namon-like odor.  It  is  delicious  eating,  but  the  effects  are 
unpleasant.  When  too  many  have  been  eaten,  the  mouth 
becomes  as  sore  as  if  the  person  were  salivated.  The  saffron- 
plum,  pigeon-plum  and  hackberry  all  bear  edible  fruit. 

The  first  object  of  interest  we  came  to  was  Gen.  Harney's 
Punchbowl.  It  was  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  when 
we  arrived  at  the  place  and  landed.  The  bank  was  about 
twelve  feet  high,  rocky  and  steep.  About  halfway  up  the  de- 
clivity was  a  spring  of  cold,  clear  water,  issuing  from  a  deep, 
bowl-like  depression  in  the  rock.  We  drank  the  cooling 
water,  and  ascended  to  the  hammock,  which  lay  beyond. 
(This  spring  was  named  after  Gen.  Harney,  the  famous 
Indian  fighter.)  In  the  hammock  we  came  upon  a  lime  grove 
that  eclipsed  anything  I  ever  saw.  The  ground  was  literally 
paved  with  the  fragrant,  golden  globes.  We  gathered  several 
bushels  and  carried  them  to  the  boats.  After  another  deep 
draught  at  Gen.  Harney's  Punch-bowl,  we  resumed  the 
journey. 

That  night  we  camped  at  the  south  end  of  Biscayne  Bay, 
and  next  day  we  passed  through  Upper  and  Lower  Cards 


^8  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLOKIDA. 

Sound,  into  Barnes'  Sound,  and  through  Chi-ee's  Cut-off,  into 
Sadler's  bay.  Chi-ee's  Cut-off  is  where  the  waters  of  Barnes' 
Sound  connect  with  Sadler  bay.  The  water  was  twenty-five 
feet  deep,  and  clear  as  it  well  could  be.  Down  near  the  bot- 
tom we  could  see  enormous  red  snappers  and  groupers  dart- 
ing around,  and  they  evidently  had  plenty  to  eat,  for  they 
paid  no  attention  to  bait.  At  sunset  we  were  within  fiv© 
miles  of  Cape  Sable,  at  a  place  named  Saw-fish  Hole.  That 
night  we  discovered  that  there  were  mosquitoes  in  Florida, 
after  all.     But  we  had  plenty  of  nets. 

In  the  morning,  after  breaking  fast  on  mullet,  pompano 
and  grouper,  we  shouldered  guns  and  attacked  the  deer. 
Foremost  among  the  hunters  was  Andrew  Wiggins.  With  an 
unerring  hand,  he  caused  many  a  deer  to  bite  the  sand  that 
day.  One  hunter  swore  that  a  deer  came  up  within  a  few 
yards  of  him,  and  never  flinched,  as  he  took  aim  and  fired.  I 
cannot  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  statement,  but  it  seemed  to 
me  as  if  the  deer  were  remarkably  tame. 

But  "graining"  the  tarpons  was  the  finest  sport  of  all. 
The  tarpon,  when  full  grown,  is  about  five  feet  in  length,  and 
clothed  in  bright,  silvei'y  scales,  about  the  size  of  a  silver 
dollar.  They  have  a  habit  of  rising  to  the  surface  and  strik- 
ing the  water  with  the  tail,  with  such  force  that  the  blow  can 
be  heard  for  five  or  six  hundred  yards.  "Graining  the  tarpon" 
is  a  sport  very  popular  around  Key  West,  and  consists  in 
throwing  a  long  gig,  or  barbed  rod,  into  the  fish,  from  a  boat. 
To  the  rod  is  fastened  a  long,  stout  line,  and  to  that  a  stop- 
pered jug  is  attached.  The  tarpon,  when  caught,  is  far  too 
powerful  to  be  controlled  by  hand ;  so  he  is  allowed  to  plunge 
around  at  will,  but  the  jug  follows  him  wherever  he  goes,  and 
betrays  his  presence.  The  jugs,  flying  across  the  water  with 
such  rapidity  that  a  cloud  of  spray  envelopes  them  ;  the  ex- 
cited men,  bending  all  their  strength  to  the  oars,  and  the 
overtaking  and  capture  of  the  jug,  and  the  final  landing  of 
the  shining  fish,  forms  as  animating  a  scene  as  one  could  well 
imagine.  The  flesh  of  the  tarpon,  while  hardly  so  fine  as  that 
of  the  red  snapper,  is  really  good  eating. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  49 

After  graining^  half  a  dozen  of  the  silvery  monsters,  we 
cleaned  them,  and  proceeded  to  "jerk"  them.  As  everybody 
knows  that  this  means  drying  the  meat  in  the  sun  or  over  a 
fire,  I  will  not  dwell  on  the  particulars. 

Next  day  we  visited  Cape  Sable,  the  extreme  southern 
point  of  the  mainland  of  Florida.  There  are  three  points 
which  compose  the  cape  proper ;  East  Point,  Palm  Point  and 
North  Cape.  On  Palm  Point  were  two  prodigiously  tall  royal- 
palm  trees,  (fully  125  feet  high)  which  were  visible  as  a  land- 
mark, for  many  miles  around.  The  Government  authorities 
ordained  that  any  one  who  cut  these  trees  down,  was  to  be 
fined  at  least  five  hundred  dollars.  Since  that  time,  however, 
a  storm  of  unwonted  violence  has  uprooted  them. 

My  readers  have  patiently  followed  me  among  the  red 
savages,  have  traversed  deep  swamps,  and  finally  waded 
through  the  Everglades  with  me,  until  we  are  lodged  safely 
at  Cape  Sable.  And  now,  my  dear  readers,  we  are  preparing 
to  set  out  on  a  seven  days'  scout  through  the  Big  Cypress,  and 
we  are  likely  to  pass  through  some  strange  scenes  before  we 
rest  again. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  51 


CHAPTER   IX. 

AMONG    THE    TEN    THOUSAND    ISLANDS. 

No  one  who  enters  the  border  of  Florida  and  steps  into 
the  kingdom  of  the  orange,  where  everything  wears  such  a 
soft,  unsered  hue  of  sempiternal  spring,  would  imagine  that 
the  southern  extremity  of  the  State  presented  such  a  desolate, 
gloomy  appearance.  The  pine-covered  hills  and  orange- 
scented  hammocks  are  metamorphosed  into  low,  oozy  points, 
and  slimy  mangrove  swamps.  The  very  cranes  and  herons, 
poised  on  one  leg,  look  as  mournful  as  the  sprawling  frogs 
about  to  become  their  prey.  The  croak  of  the  water-turkey 
is  worse  than  a  funeral  dirge,  and  the  far-reaching  note  of  the 
curlew  and  flamingo  makes  one  wish  to  be  at  home. 

As  we  left  Cape  Sable  the  prospect  grew  brighter.  The 
sampson-grass  gave  way  to  hammocks  bordered  with  man" 
grove  forests.  At  night  we  reached  Pavilion  Key,  and  se- 
lected it  as  a  camping  spot  for  the  night.  I  had  heard  of  the 
great  clam  beds  at  this  key,  and  was  anxious  to  make  the 
trip. 

What  a  beautiful  spot  it  was!  The  setting  sun  was 
laving  its  heated  face  in  the  cool  Gulf  far  to  the  westward  : 
the  last  ruddy  rays  gilded  the  top  of  the  lofty  mangrove  trees, 
and  already  a  deep  twilight  lay  in  the  shadowy  places.  The 
water  was  clear  and  we  could  see  millions  of  clams  beneath 
us.  As  we  approached  the  key,  some  of  the  soldiers  jumped 
overboard  (it  was  only  knee  deep)  and  threw  hundreds  of  the 
succulent  bivalves  into  the  boat.     We  built  a  fire    and  soon 


52  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

had  a  mammoth  chowder  ready,  together  with  some  cooter 
steak.  Polly's  eyes  scintillated  with  suppressed  joy,  but 
when  she  tasted  the  delicious  mixture,  her  bosom  heaved,  her 
lips  parted,  and  lifting  her  withered  hands  toward  heaven, 
she  ejaculated : 

"Good— too  much'" 

We  "fell  to"  with  the  gusto  of  savages  and  had  a 
glorious  feast.  Stories  were  told,  jokes  passed,  and  former 
griefs  forgotten  amid  the  joys  of  the  present.  But  amid,  the 
hearty  laughs  that  echoed  through  the  twilight,  there  was  one 
who  maintained  a  deep,  thoughtful  silence,  as  if  he  thought 
the  time  too  precious,  while  sitting  around  the  chowder-pot,  to 
waste  in  useless  merriment.  But  after  the  feast  was  over,  he 
crawled  to  a  mangrove  tree  and  leaned  against  it ;  throwing 
out  his  feet,  and  clasping  his  hands  over  his  shaggy  head,  he 
gave  vent  to  one  of  those  laughs  for  which  he  was  famous. 
First  his  mouth  opened,  then  there  was  a  commotion  all  over, 
and  a  gurgling  sound  arose,  seemingly,  from  his  boots,  and 
finally  the  bubbling,  undulating  mixture  of  sounds  poured 
forth,  astonishing  and  amusing  all  who  heard  it.  Truly, 
Andrew  Wiggins  was  a  great  laugher. 

But  I  must  proceed  on  the  journey,  or  we  will  be 
late.  From  Pavilion  Key  we  went  through  Sand  Fly  Pass 
into  Chocaliska  Bay,  where  we  encountered  the  Ten 
Thousand  Islands.  I  had  long  wished  to  see  and  determine 
just  what  these  islands  were,  and  observed  them  with  great 
interest.  Our  boats  wound  in  and  out  among  them,  and 
once  I  landed  with  some  others  to  examine  an  island.  It  was 
larger  than  some  of  the  rest,  being  about  ten  acres  in  extent. 
Around  the  edges  stood  a  circle  of  mangrove  trees,  and  inside 
of  that  the  land  was  high,  dry,  shell  hammock,  and  very 
rich,  covered  with  a  heavy  growth  of  mastic,  gumbolimbo 
and  other  West  India  trees.  You  have  often  heard  me  speak 
about  mangrove  trees,  and  mavbe  you  would  like  to  know 
what  they  look  like.  The  mangrove  don't  content  itself  with 
rising  straight  out  of  the  ground  like  any  other  tree,  but  props 
its  trunk  away  up  in  the  air  on  several  small  trunks,  which 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 


53 


were  originally  roots.  Some  of  these  trees  look  like  a  lot  of 
large  tent-poles  leaning  together,  and  a  big  tree  growing 
on  top.  It  often  reaches  a  height  of  seventy  feet  or  more  ; 
the  wood  is  extremely  heavy,  and  is  used  extensively  foj- 
piers  in  making  wharves,  as  it  lasts  a  long  time  in  water. 
The  trees  bear  a  long,  dry  seed,  which  drop  down  when  ripe 
and  stick  upright  in  the  mud,  and  in  a  short  time  a  new  man- 
grove is  putting  forth  its  leaves. 

The  islands  were,  on  an  average,  not  more  than  two  or 
three  hundred  yards  apart,  and  the  smallest  one  I  saw  was 
only  fifty  feet  across,  with  a  few  stunted  mangrove  and  mas- 
tic trees  growing  on  it.  Sometimes,  where  the  islands  were 
close  together,  the  tall,  shady  trees  loomed  up  in  leafy  walls 
on  each  side  of  us,  and  foi"med  an  over-arching  canopy  of 
green,  through  which  the  echoes  of  the  men's  voices,  and  the 
sounds  of  the  oars  rang  and  reverberated.  This  was  the  home 
of  the  sand  fly.  High  overhead  we  heard  the  shrill  hum  of 
untold  millions  of  these  little  insects,  which  increased  as  we 
went  on. 

In  this  arboreal  wilderness,  the  semi-twilight  hue  of  the 
scene  seems  to  make  the  little  creatures'  advances  more  bold. 
The  whirr  of  their  wings — so  fine  and  shrill,  that  "nothing 
seemed  to  lie  'twixt  it  and  silence," — was  constantly  in  our 
ears,  and  the  infinitesimal  white  spots  which  marked  their 
presence  on  the  hands  and  face  were  the  cause  of  considerable 
pain  and  annoyance.  They  are  not  like  a  mosquito  ;  they  are 
too  small  for  you  to  aim  a  blow  at  them,  and  they  are  biting 
you  for  dear  life  before  you  know  it. 

The  water  was  three  feet  in  depth,  and  very  clear,  so 
that  we  could  see  the  oyster  beds  below,  with  great  distinct- 
ness. Many  of  these  beds  contained  oysters  of  fine  size,  so 
that  we  supplied  ourselves  libei-ally  with  the  delicious  things. 
Seated  in  the  boats,  we  pryed  open  the  shells,  and  rapidly 
provided  accommodations  for  the  oysters  contained  within. 

After  a  while  we  emerged  from  among  the  islands,  and 
came  to  the  mouth  of  the  Chocaliska  river,  and  journeyed  up 
the  stream  for  five  miles,  to  the  point  where  it  receives  the 


54  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

waters  of  the  Faquahatchie.  Here  we  found  a  company  of 
soldiers  who  had  just  finished  burying  their  commander — 
Capt.  Parkhill — who  had  been  killed  by  Indians  the  day 
before,  in  the  Royal  Palm  Hammock.  There  was  the  most 
intense  excitement  among  the  men,  and  their  speech  and 
actions  boded  no  good  for  the  Indians  they  were  preparing  to 
hunt  next  day.  They  had  carried  his  body  nine  miles  in  order 
to  find  a  safe  resting-place  for  their  chief. 

Capt.  Mickler  ordered  us  to  return,  and  when  we  again 
entered  the  Chocaliska  bay,  our  course  was  directed  north- 
ward, en  route  for  Marco  Inlet,  near  Cape  Romano.  After 
a  journey  of  twenty  miles,  we  reached  the  inlet,  and  next 
morning  we  were  joined  by  the  company  before  mentioned. 
We  were,  in  all,  about  one  hundred  strong,  and  were  provided 
with  guns,  ammunition  and  provisions.  Col.  St.  George 
Rogers  took  command,  and,  at  an  early  hour,  we  set  forth, 
ostensibly  for  the  purpose  of  quelling  a  rebellion,  but  many 
of  the  men  were  ready  to  nsk  life  and  liberty  for  the  purpose 
of  avenging  the  dastardly  murder  of  their  chief,  Capt. 
Parkhill. 

My  next  chapter  will  tell  of  how  we  made  a  trip  through 
the  weird  and  gloomy  Big  Cypress,  and  that  will  conclude 
the  first  part  of  the  book. 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  55 


CHAPTER  X. 

A    SEVEN    days'     SCOUT    THROUGH    THE    BIG    CYPRESS CLOSING 

SCENES. 

The  Everglades  and  Big  Cypress  are  great  problems,  in 
themselves,  which  can  only  be  solved  by  time  and  ingenuity. 
It  would  seem  as  if  the  climate — the  counterpart  of  which  is 
found  nowhere  else  on  the  globe — were  not  to  be  enjoyed  by 
the  settler,  here.  But  those  who  have  had  the  temerity  to  venture 
into  these  vast  solitudes,  have  often  returned  with  the  con- 
sciousness of  having  had  a  very  pleasant  time,  and  the 
botanist  and  naturalist  was  never  heard  to  complain  of  the 
scarcity  of  the  flora  and  fauna  of  those  "dim,  mysterious  re- 
gions." As  I  have  said  in  a  former  chapter,  I  consider  it  a 
misrepresentation,  for  any  one  to  call  the  Everglades  a  "winter 
resort,"  The  Everglades  are  simply  immense  stretches  of 
long,  low,  level  prairie,  covered  for  the  most  part  with  water 
and  saw-gi-ass,  and  dotted  with  little  islands.  This  region  of 
country  is  some  eight  or  ten  feet  above  the  sea,  and  I  do  not 
think  the  highest  elevation  can  exceed  fifteen  feet.  The  great 
drainage  scheme  inaugurated  by  Disston  is  a  fine  idea,  and 
the  solution  of  the  problem  he  has  undertaken  is  an  object  of 
unlimited  discussion,  and  I  think  that  a  successful  termina- 
tion of  the  project  would  be  of  untold  benefit  to  Florida  and 
the  whole  South.  But  I  think  somebody  ought  to  turn  his  at- 
tention to  the  Big  Cypress.  There  are  islands  in  there  that, 
for  fertility,  are  equal  to  the  delta  of  the  Nile. 

You  are  put  to  a  great  deal  of  trouble  in  gaining  access 


56  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

to  these  islands,  but  a  visit  will  repay  a  long  journey.  Some 
of  these  beautiful  bodies  of  land  are  elevated  many  feet  above 
the  water,  and  the  soil  is  something  wonderful.  The  Indians 
raised  some  verv  fine  rice  on  these  bodies  of  hammock,  and 
that  region  may  be  termed,  with  prof>riety,  the  home  of  the 
banana,  for  frost  seldom,  if  ever,  enters  the  dominion  of  the 
Big  Cypress.  Pine-apples  would  run  riot.  But  little  game 
is  found,  except  around  the  borders. 

One  man,  in  walking  over  this  soil,  (so  says  an  old 
tradition)  was  so  deeply  impressed  with  its  fertile  appear- 
ance, that  he  took  a  tenpenny  nail  from  his  pocket  and  planted 
it  near  a  tree,  which  he  marked  for  future  reference.  When 
six  months  had  gone  by,  he  returned  to  the  spot,  and  dug  for 
the  nail.  To  his  surprise,  he  found  that  it  had  grown 
into  a  crowbar,  four  feet  long !  A  wonderful  result,  certainly, 
but  as  I  didn't  see  the  nail  planted,  nor  the  crowbar  harvested, 
I  can't  vouch  for  the  truth  of  the  story. 

It  is  diflflcult  to  imagine  the  impressive  solemnity  of  this 
mighty  forest,  unless  one  takes  a  trip  through  it.  Strange, 
unwholesome  legends  are  rife  among  the  Seminole  Indians 
(who  are  less  inclined  to  superstition  than  many  other  tribes) 
concerning  the  death-dealing  character  of  certain  things  to  be 
foftnd  in  the  Big  Cypress,  and  it  is  a  brave  warrior  indeed 
who  undertakes  to  enter  the  dread  "coontee-sassa-hollober" 
after  nightfall. 

But  the  resolute  band  of  soldiers  were  preparing  to  prove 
themselves  greater  objects  of  dread  to  the  eesta-chatta  than 
any  goblin  that  might  have  its  lair  in  the  coontee-sassa- 
hollober. 

At  an  early  hour  we  brought  our  boats  into  Marco  river, 
and  steered  for  the  Big  Cypress.  Our  course  was  to  the 
southeast,  and  after  we  entered  Palm  Hammock  creek,  we 
followed  that  stream  for  nine  or  ten  miles,  and  came  to  its 
head.  A  grassy  prairie  half  a  mile  wide  lay  ahead,  and  after 
crossing  that  we  entered  the  Little  Royal  Palm  Hammock 
and  struck  camp.  The  land  was  nice  and  dry,  and  the  air 
seemed  somewhat  purer. .   Did  you  ever  see  the  famous  royal 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH   FLORIDA.  57 

palm,  or  Oreodoxia  regia  ?  If  you  have  not,  a  description 
might  interest  you.  At  this  place  the  trees  were  nearly  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty  feet  high,  and  stood  fifteen  or  twenty  feet 
apart.  The  trunks  are  white,  as  smooth  as  polished  marble 
and  as  straight  as  an  arrow.  Near  the  top  the  trunk  is  bright 
green,  and  jointed  like  sugar  cane,  surmounted  by  an  im- 
mense crown  of  leaves,  the  stems  of  which  are  sometimes  fif- 
teen feet  long.  No  animal  not  provided  with  wings,  can  climb 
these  lofty  palms.  The  royal  palm  is  one  of  the  finest  trees 
in  all  the  vegetable  kingdom,  and  surely  Florida  can  boast  of 
nothing  more  uniquely  grand  or  singularly  beautiful. 

Our  course  next  day  lay  to  the  eastward,  and  the  im- 
mense swamp  lay  before  us  and  around  us.  The  cypress 
trees  were  never  more  than  twenty  inches  in  diameter,  and 
were  covered  with  poisonous  vines,  whose  velvety  leaves  we 
avoided  as  we  would  shun  fire.  Especially  is  a  person  in 
danger  when  freely  perspiring  ;  then  the  pores  of  the  body  are 
open,  and  the  skin  is  peculiarly  susceptible  to  poisoning  from 
contact  with  the  vines.  The  arboreal  Rhus  toxicodendron,  or 
"devil's  shoe-string,"  and  the  dreaded  Rhus  vernix,  or 
"thunderwood,"  were  pointed  out  to  us  as  being  worse  than 
the  terrible  upas  tree. 

One  of  the  men,  a  Spaniard,  named  Johnnie  Ortagus,  (a 
native  of  St.  Augustine,)  was  the  most  expert  climber  I  ever 
saw.  And  he  seemed  invulnerable  to  the  poisonous  vines, 
for  he  could  handle  them  without  being  injured.  He  could 
take  one  of  the  vines  in  his  hands  and  scale  the  tallest  tree  in 
a  few  minutes.  His  climbing  powers  were  scarcely  inferior  to 
those  of  a  squirrel.  Col.  St.  George  Rogers  directed  him  to 
climb  the  tallest  trees  and  inspect  the  surroundings.  In  this 
way  we  could  gain  some  idea  of  the  course  that  lay  before  us. 
Ortagus,  in  reply  to  questions  from  Col.  Rogei-s,  would  de- 
scribe the  country  ahead,  and  we  would  direct  our  course  ac- 
cordingly. (Mr.  Ortagus  is  now  a  hale,  vigorous  old  gentle- 
man, and  keeps  a  restaurant  in  Jacksonville.) 

The  water  through  which  we  traveled  was  never  inore 
than  six   inches    deep,    and    was   strongly  impregnated  with 


58  LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

lime,  but  we  were  forced  to  drink  it.  Sometimes  we  came  to 
high  ridges  of  land,  covered  with  stunted  pines  and  various 
species  of  palmetto.  These  curious  plants  grew  in  the  ut- 
most profusion  and  luxuriance ;  the  saw-palmetto,  the  trunk 
of  which  is  usually  in  the  form  of  a  long,  creeping  rhizome, 
reared  high  in  the  air,  almost  like  trees.  Here  we  found  the 
needle-palm,  with  its  myriads  of  long,  sharp  spines  ;  the  cab- 
bage palm,  and  blue-stem. 

After  leaving  these  ridges  (which  were,  as  a  rule,  not 
more  than  half  a  mile  across)  we  would  generally  descend 
into  a  low,  lime  prairie,  which  stretched  north  and  south  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  In  the  afternoon  we  reached  the 
Big  Royal  Palm  Hammock.  Following  the  trail  through  the 
low,  wet  swamp,  we  suddenly  encountered  a  high  slope,  which 
led  us  into  the  Big  Hammock.  O,  what  a  relief,  and  an  in- 
spiration it  was,  after  the  dreary  march  through  the  cypress! 
The  lofty  palms  towered  toward  heaven,  lifting  their 
spreading  summits  far  above  the  big  live  oaks  and  gumbolim- 
bos.  There  was  a  large  clearing  here,  and  some  of  the  oaks 
were  covered  with  pumpkin  and  bean  vines  ;  inany  of  these 
trees  were  loaded  with  green  and  ripe  pumpkins,  which  gave 
rise  to  the  fancy  that  they  were  the  fruit  of  the  tree  itself. 
Banana  plants,  fifteen  feet  or  more  in  height,  and  immense 
corn,  were  among  the  products  of  this  fertile  region.  Without 
stopping  to  destroy  what  the  Indians  had  planted,  we  pro- 
ceeded onward  in  search  of  the  planters  themselves. 

We  then  came  to  a  deserted  village,  on  an  island  three 
miles  from  Big  Hammock.  This  was  Saf-faj-eehojee's  Town, 
and  from  the  appearance  of  the  log  huts,  with  their  fallen-in 
palmetto  roofs,  we  judged  that  the  town  had  been  deserted 
for  a  couple  of  years.  We  saw  no  fresh  signs,  and  went  on, 
and  before  long  came  to  another  village,  graced  with  the  name 
of  Emathle-ochee's  Town.  Farther  on  was  Fin-hallo  way's 
metropolis,  where  a  few  logs  lying  in  a  square,  told  us  that 
there  was  once  an  attempt  at  building  a  city,  at  this  place. 
Here  we  saw  plenty  of  fresh  Indian  signs,  and  followed  the 
trail  with  greater  activity  than  ever. 

The  march  was  a  dreary  and  monotonous  one.     Seven 


LIFE    AND    ADVENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA.  59 

long  days  we  marched,  and  no  glimpse  of  an  Indian  rewarded 
our  anxious  gaze.  Captain  Dick  Turner  was  our  guide.  He 
had  never  been  through  there  before,  but  his  services  as  a 
guide  were  well  rendered.  So  well  did  he  pilot  us  through 
this  trackless  wilderness  that,  in  a  march  of  seventy-five  miles, 
we  missed  our  destination  by  only  two  miles.  (When  I  re- 
visited Chocaliska  Bay  in  1880,  in  company  with  Prof.  A.  H. 
Curtiss,  I  was  pleased  to  see  Captain  Turner  pleasantly  lo- 
cated on  the  Bay,  surrounded  by  rich  fields  of  sugar  cane, 
orange  groves  and  banana  gardens.  Truly  the  "Captain"  is 
well  fixed,  but  not  a  whit  better  than  he  deserves.) 

Finally  we  came  to  the  Ock-kollowah-cootchee.  Long 
and  frightful  as  this  name  may  seem,  it  was  no  worse  than  the 
thing  itself.  It  was  a  field  of  dense  saw-grass,  about  four 
miles  wide.  The  grass  was  two  feet  higher  than  our  heads, 
and  was  so  dense  that  we  could  not  see  a  foot  ahead  of  us. 
One  man  was  selected  to  break  the  road,  so  that  the  others 
could  pass.  No  man  could  endure  this  task  more  than  five 
minutes,  and  first  one  and  then  another  '  'took  turns' '  at  pushing 
in  front ;  the  side  and  shoulders  were  used  in  this  laborious 
and  painful  work.  To  add  to  our  misery,  the  sun  shone  with 
terrible  force  upon  us,  and  not  a  breath  of  fresh  air  could  reach 
us.  Worse  than  all,  the  water  was  poison,  and  our  feet  soon 
felt  the  effects  of  it.  The  men,  who  were  grumbling  before, 
lifted  up  their  voices  and  gave  vent  to  some  hair-lifting  ex- 
pressions. The  volunteers  from  Middle  Florida,  who  had 
never  experienced  the  like  before,  were  almost  furious.  But 
in  time  we  emerged  from  the  dreadful  Ock-kollowah-cootchee, 
and  reached  Fort  Simon  Drum. 

There  we  were  joined  by  other  soldiers,  and  made  our 
way  to  Fort  Myers.  At  that  place  we  boarded  the  steamer 
for  Fort  Brooke.  We  were  there  mustered  out  of  the  service, 
and  bade  each  other  good  by. 

My  readers  have  indeed  been  patient  in  following  me  thus 
far.  My  narrative  has  been  necessarily  a  prosaic  one,  for  I 
started  out  with  the  determination  of  telling  nothing  but  the 
unvarnished  truth.  Many  of  the  old  settlers  can  bear  witness 
to  the  truth  of  my  descriptions,  and  would  not  be  slow  to  de- 


6o  LIFE    AND    AD^'ENTURES    IN    SOUTH    FLORIDA. 

tect  any  misstateinent  T  might  make.  I  am  loth  to  part  with 
the  comrades  who  accompanied  me  through  many  hardships 
and  vicissitudes.  My  journeys  through  the  far  South  have 
been  varied  and  full  of  incident,  and  in  the  second  part  of  my 
little  book,  I  have  endeavored  to  give  a  new  phase  of  Florida 
life,  which  will,  I  hope,  leave  an  agreeable  impression  on  the 
reader,  who  has  been  so  patient  to  follow  me  thus  far. 

As  to  the  subsequent  life  of  my  companions-in-arms,  I  can 
say  but  little.  Captain  Jacob  Mickler  was  killed  shortly  after 
the  war,  by  being  thrown  from  his  buggy  near  Lake  City, 
Andrew  Wiggins  disappeared  from  existence,  as  it  were, 
without  leaving  a  trace  of  himself.  Ed.  Marr  died  in  1864, 
on  Indian  river ;  and  Jim  Cook,  the  dauntless  warrior  and  true 
hearted  gentleman — rough-hewn  though  he  was — departed 
from  a  useful  life,  near  Tampa,  a  few  years  ago,  honored  and 
admired  by  all  who  knew  him. 


[end    of    PART    I.] 


TO  THE  PIONEEBS  OF  SOUTH  FLOEIDA.  61 


To  the  Pioneers  of  South  Florida. 


We  have  found,  with  pride  and  pleasure, 

Tliat  our  own  fair  State  is  known 
To  the  world  as  the  brightest  treasure 

Of  the  semi-tropic  zone. 
For  the  East  and  the  AVest  awaken 

To  the  glorj'  of  the  South, 
And  the  wondrous  story  is  taken 

Through  the  North,  from  mouth  to  mouth 
Of  a  land,  of  which  they  were  dreaming. 

As  though  it  were  not  earth, 
But  wliich,  to-day,  is  beaming 

In  the  light  of  its  real  worth. 
Where  the  winds  of  evening,  sighing 

Through  the  leaves  of  the  cabbage-palm, 
E'er  whisper  of  peace  undying. 

And  a  life  of  blissful  calm; 
A  land  where  Time  ne'er  bringeth 

The  snow,  nor  the  dead  leaves'  fall. 
And  the  angel  of  summer  wingeth 

Her  flight  through  the  forest  hall. 
Where  the  sous  of  the  colder  regions 

Have  foimd  a  home  and  retreat— 
And  they  come  in  happy  legions, 

Away  from  the  snow  and  sleet. 
But  the  land  of  endless  summer, 

Where  the  orange  and  lemon  grow, 
Had  little  to  offer  the  comer. 

In  the  days  of  long  ago. 


then,  the  warriors,  in  their  glory, 

Through  the  virgin  forest  roamed, 
And  'neath  the  live  oaks,  old  and  hoary. 

They  passed,  with  locks  uncombed, 
And  an  eye  that  mocked  at  capture, 

And  scorned  a  prisoner's  chain — 
Will  they  thrill,  with  a  hunter's  rapture, 

In  the  olden  haunts  again  ? 
Ah,  no ;  for  civilization 

Has  banished  each  swarthy  face, 
And  now,  the  Seminole  nation, 

Is  a  half -forgotten  race. 


62  TO  THE  PIONEEES  OF  ROUTH  FLOKTDA. 


The  guava  and  lime  are  growing, 

Wiieve  once  they  slaughtered  the  deer, 
And  engine-whistles  are  blowing, 

Where  the  war-whoop  smote  the  ear. 
The  orange  its  fruit  produces. 

Where  the  Indian  wigwam  stood, 
And  offers  us  golden  juices, 

Instead  of  an  enemy's  blood. 
The  Sabbath  bells  are  ringing 

O'er  hammock  and  tangled  brake. 
And  we  hear  the  children  singing, 

By  the  shore  of  the  woodland  lalte. 
Then  we  ask :    Who  fought  for  the  honcr 

Of  our  own  South  Florida — 
And  who  are  they,  that  have  won  her. 

The  glory  she  wears  to-day? 


We  hail  them:  Hughey  and  Holden, 

Yates,  Barber  and  Summerlin — 
Their  harvest  is  rich  and  golden, 

And  bountifully  gathered  in — 
Hendry,  Patrick  and  Lanier, 

Hancock,  and  Speer,  and  Bass — 
Each  dauntless  pioneer 

Began  in  the  wire -grass; 
And,  wresting  the  land  from  the  gopher, 

Thejr  planted  tlie  trees  that  gleam 
With  the  treasures  of  ancient  Ophir, 

And  Pactolus'  magic  stream. 
Through  the  long,  dark  years  of  waiting, 

With  their  noble  wives  by  their  side. 
And  with  courage  never  abating. 

They  watched  for  the  turn  of  the  tide ; 
And  now,  in  their  life's  declining, 

Their  evening  sun  is  shed 
On  fruit-filled  branches  twining 

Like  laurels  above  their  head. 
Let  us  wind  them  a  wreath  of  honor, 

From  the  yellow  jessamine — 
Yea,  drink  to  their  health  and  honor, 

In  shaddock  and  orange  wine ! 

—Sigma. 


TH    KORIDA. 


PART    SECO:^^D. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  fi5 


Scenes  in  South  Florida. 


SKETCHES    OF   TRAVEL,  INCIDENT  AND  ADVENTURE  AMONG 
THE  LAKES  AND  HAMMOCKS  OF  SEMI-TROPICAL  FLORIDA. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HOW  SPONGES  ARE  GATHERED  AND  DISPOSED  OF  AT  KEY  WEST. 

There  is  no  town  in  the  world  that  is  anything  like  the 
counterpart  of  Key  West.  Lying,  as  it  does,  at  the  very 
threshold  of  the  tropics,  it  combines,  in  a  rare  degree,  the  snap 
and  vim  of  the  Northern  clime,  with  the  laxative  breath  from 
gardens  smothered  in  the  flowers  and  trees  of  the  equatorial 
regions.  On  one  side  is  seen  the  symmetrical  crown  of  the 
Australian  fir,  and  close  by  a  stately  cocoa-palm  rears  its 
head.  The  dark-eyed  Cuban  jostles  the  Georgia  "nigger"  in 
the  busy  market  places,  and  the  tall,  lank,  hawk-nosed  "land- 
stalker"  is  a  Yankee,  and  no  mistake,  but,  like  the  rest  of  his 
peculiar  race,  has  a  faculty  of  making  himself  at  home,  under 
all  circumstances,  and  on  all  occasions ;  which  you  can  easily 
infer,  from  the  coolness  with  which  he  button-holes  every 
ancient  (or  modern)  Cracker  who  comes  to  town  with  a 
"kyart-load"  of  garden  truck.  The  sea-breezes  are  just  as 
pleasant  as  anybody  ever  said  they  were,  and  I  count  the 
town  among  the  nicest  places  I  have  seen  in  the  State. 

I  have  seen  Key  West  described  as  a  paradise  for  lazy 
men.  This  is  a  misrepresentation,  and  if  the  writer  of  that 
article   had   ever   been   there,   he   would  have   thought   and 


66  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

written  differently — especially  if  he  had  ever  happened  to  be 
without  money. 

Sponge-gathering  and  cigar-making  are  the  chief  indus- 
tries of  the  place,  and  the  former  occupation  is  resorted  to  by 
those  who  cannot  endure  the  strong,  narcotic  fumes  of  the- 
cigar  factories. 

I  lived  in  Key  West  fully  six  years  before  the  idea  oc- 
curred to  me  to  try  my  fortune  among  the  spongers.  Vessel 
after  vessel  came  in  w^ith  their  precious  freight, ~  attracting- 
hordes  of  anxious  buyers,  and  the  fishermen  generally  brought 
in  no  less  than  one  thousand  pounds,  which  sold  readily  for  a 
dollar  a  pound.  Finally  I  decided  that  the  "briny  deep'" 
should  yield  up  to  me  some  of  its  treasures,  and  secured  a 
berth  on  one  of  the  spongers  that  plied  around  the  Keys.  Be- 
sides myself,  there  were  about  twenty-five  men,  who  were 
going  to  tiy  their  fortunes  in  the  business.  The  manner  of 
fitting  out  an  expedition  is  as  follows : 

A  vessel  is  engaged  from  some  owner,  who  agrees  to  take 
half  the  amount  of  sponges  gathered  for  the  hire  of  his  boat. 
A  stock  of  provisions  is  laid  in,  and  each  sponge-gatherer  is 
provided  with  a  long  pole  and  hook.  The  voyages  are  never 
more  than  eight  weeks  in  length,  and  in  that  time,  if  the 
"catch"  has  been  successful,  there  ought  to  be  eight  hundred 
"bunches"  on  board.  A  bunch  weighs  about  two  pounds  and 
is  worth  at  present  about  four  dollars,  although  at  the  time  I 
was  engaged  in  the  business,  the  sponger  could  get  only  a  dol- 
lar a  pound. 

Our  crew  set  sail,  and  after  a  four  days'  voyage,  we  came 
to  the  Anclote  Keys,  then  a  noted  sponging  ground.  When 
we  reached  the  grounds,  the  small  boats  were  launched,  and 
other  preparations  made  for  the  business.  We  had  four  of 
these  small  boats,  and  each  boat  was  sent  out  with  a  man  who 
was  armed  with  a  twenty-five  foot  pole,  with  two  prongs  at  the 
end.  I  rowed  my  little  vessel  some  distance  from  the  ship  and 
began  looking  for  sponges. 

The  water  was  very  clear  and  about  twelve  feet  deep.. 
The  bottom  was  covered  with  myriads  of  curious  and   beauti- 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA.  67 

ful  growths,  such  as  the  Fenestrella,  or  sea-fan ;  the  sea- 
feather,  and  tall,  tree-like  plants,  which  I  could  not  classify- 
White  rocks  covered  the  bottom,  and  on  these  I  could  see 
thousands  of  young  sponges  growing.  They  were  a  glossy 
black,  and  most  of  them  too  small  to  be  gathered.  But  as  I 
went  on  I  could  see  larger  specimens,  and  finally  I  reached 
downward  and  drew  up  a  fine  one.  There  are  many  varieties 
of  sponges,  the  sheeps-wool  variety  being  the  most  valuable  of 
all.  Next  in  order  come  the  yellow  sponge,  the  "glove,"  the 
"grass,"  "boat"  and  "loggerhead."  The  last  named  variety 
is  absolutely  worthless,  and  is  never  gathered.  The  sheeps- 
wool  is  distinguished  from  other  kinds,  by  a  multitude  of 
small  protuberances,  and  by  its  shining  black  color. 

Thrusting  the  pole  downward  through  the  water,  I  in- 
serted the  prongs  under  the  largest  of  the  sponges,  and  it  took 
but  little  exertion  to  detach  them  from  the  rock  to  which  they 
were  growing.  When  brought  to  the  surface,  the  sponge  ap- 
pears to  be  a  soft,  limp  mass  of  jelly.  A  tough,  black  mem- 
brane envelopes  it  all  over,  and  this  is  not  removed  until  the 
next  day.  The  sponge,  after  lying  out  of  the  water,  dies 
within  a  few  hours,  and  the  animal  tissue  dissolves,  forming  a 
dark,  ill-smelling  fluid,  which  the  natives  call  "gurry." 

We  had  selected  a  spot  where  the  wat^r  was  only  five  feet 
deep,  and  had  driven  a  circular  row  of  mangrove  stakes, 
forming  a  pen,  which  we  termed  a  "kraal."  Several  of  these 
kraals  had  been  made,  and  to  one  of  them  I  carried  my  load  of 
sponges  on  the  day  after  they  had  been  gathered.  Some  of  the 
othei's  had  also  brought  loads  in,  and  after  letting  them  soak 
awhile,  we  began  beating  them  with  sticks  and  punching 
them  about  in  the  water,  inside  the  kraals.  In  an  hour  or  so, 
the  black, outside  scurf,  or  membrane  was  gone,  also  all  traces 
of  the  animal  tissue  were  washed  away,  leaving  nothing  but 
the  skeleton  sponge.  Then  we  took  needles  and  thread  and 
made  them  into  bunches,  so  they  could  be  handled  easily. 
Afterward  they  were  taken  to  the  ship. 

Deep-water  sponging  is  a  much  more  laborious  operation. 
Two  men  set  out  in  a  boat,  and  seek  a  suitable  spot  where  the 
water  is  not  more  than  thirty  feet  deep.     One  of  these  men 


08  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

sculls  the  boat  gently  along,  while  the  other  takes  a  glass, 
constructed  for  the  purpose,  and  leaning  over  the  side  of  the 
boat,  examines  the  bottom  closely.  As  soon  as  a  large  sponge 
is  discovered,  they  stop,  and  the  long,  slender  pole  is  let 
down  into  the  water^  with  a  sweep  of  the  arm,  which  is  ac- 
quired only  through  a  long  and  tiresome  experience.  Some 
of  the  largest  of  all  sponges  are  found  in  deep  water,  and 
there  has  bee  n  so  much  gathering  done  in  the  shallow  places, 
that  one  is  forced  to  seek  deeper  water  or  give  up  the 
business. 

When  the  "catch"  was  completed,  we  returned  to  Key 
"West  and  sold  our  sponges.  They  were  separated  into  lots, 
and  a  large  number  of  buyers  inspected  each  lot  and  made 
bids.  Whenever  a  buyer  has  made  his  bid,  the  auctioneer 
proceeds  to  call  out  the  amount  bid  for  each  lot,  and  thus 
each  cargo  or  parcel  of  sponges  is  consigned  to  the  highest 
bidder.  I  have  seen  as  much  as  fourteen  thousand  dollars' 
worth  of  sponges  sold  in  a  few  hours,  at  Key  West.  The 
price  at  that  time  was  about  one  dollar  a  pound,  but  owing  to 
the  increased  demand,  and  perhaps  decreasing  supply,  the 
price  is  doubled.  I  have  been  reliably  informed  that  sub- 
stantial steps  have  been  taken  toward  preserving  them  from 
extinction,  by  planting  them,  and  "cultivating"  them,  as  it 
were,  I  cannot  tell  the  reader  just  how  that  is  done,  but  no 
doubt  it  is  practiced  successfully.  If  they  have  done  that 
much,  I  shall  not  be  at  &11  surprised  to  learn  that  they  have 
since  built  large  factories  in  Key  West,  where  sponges  are 
manufactured,  by  the  wholesale,  from  saw-palmetto  and  wool. 

Nearly  all  the  sponges  around  the  coast  of  Florida  were 
destroyed  some  eight  or  ten  years  ago  by  some  myterious,  un- 
accountable calamity.  The  first  sign  of  the  hidden  scourge 
was  the  appearance  of  dead  lish  on  the  surface  of  the  water, 
and  soon  the  shores  were  lined  with  their  dead  bodies,  and 
the  air  became  almost  pestilential.  The  oldest  and  most  ex- 
perienced fishermen  were  at  a  loss  to  account  for  it.  Finally 
somebody  noticed  that  there  were  green  streaks  in  the  water, 
two  or  three  hundred  feet  wide,  and  many  miles  long,  occur- 
ring  at   intervals   around   the   coast,  from  the  mouth  of  the 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  69 

Withlacoochee  river  to  Biscayne  Bay.  The  poisonous  strips 
of  water  were  found  as  far  as  thirty  miles  out  at  sea,  and 
nearly  everything  was  killed  in  their  wake.  Even  the  sponges 
were  destroyed,  and  fish  became  very  scarce  in  the  markets 
along  the  coast.  Many  houses  in  Key  West  are  provided  with 
cupolas,  which  are  used  for  looking  out  for  wrecks  on  the 
reef.  From  these  cupolas  we  could  see  immense  quantities  of 
dead  flsh  of  all  sizes,  from  the  largest  sharks  down,  floating 
on  the  water.  On  the  shore  were  myriads  of  the  strangest 
looking  fish  I  ever  saw,  and  there  were  some  species,  of  which 
no  one  had  ever  before  heard  or  seen,  and  which  must  have 
come  from  very  deep  water.  Even  the  dreaded  moray^  (a 
long,  slender,  serpent-like  flsh,  which  lives  in  holes  in  the 
rocks,  where  the  water  is  a  few  fathoms  deep,  and  whose 
bite  is  very  painful  and  dangerous)  and  thousands  of  sponges, 
of  all  varieties,  besides,  many  curious  species  of  crus- 
taceans lined  the  shores  in  heaps,  and  the  task  of  burying 
them  was  no  light  matter.  Porpoises  seemed  to  be  the  only 
kind  of  creature  that  could  withstand  the  mysterious  poison. 

Fishing-smacks,  on  their  way  to  Cuba  with  a  cargo  of 
live  fish  on  board,  sometimes  encountered  these  streaks  of 
dark  green  water.  As  soon  as  the  smacks  entered  the  pois- 
oned water,  the  fish,  which  were  kept  in  "wells"  in  the  bottom 
of  the  boats,  commenced  floundering  and  dashing  around,  and 
in  a  few  moments  turned  on  their  backs  and  died.  In  this 
way  many  of  the  poor  fishermen  lost  the  fruits  of  their  hard 
labor  and  were  forced  to  put  about  and  return  to  their  flshing 
gi'ounds.  The  strange  plague  lasted  a  month  or  two,  when 
the  green  streaks  disappeared,  but  it  was  a  good  while  before 
fish  became  plentiful  again. 

Many  theories  were  advanced  concerning  this  curious  oc- 
currence, but  I  have  never  regarded  any  of  them  as  entirely 
satisfactory.  Some  people  thought  it  was  a  poisonous  liquid 
that  flowed  from  the  Withlacoochee,  and,  mingling  with  the 
Gulf  Stream,  encircled  the  peninsula.  I  don't  believe  a  word 
of  that,  for  there  is  nothing  in  any  Florida  river  to  produce 
such  a  result.  Others,  with  more  cogenc}^,  insisted  that  there 
had  been  some  eruption  on  the  bottom  of  the  ocean,  whereby  an 


70  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA. 

immense  quantity  of  acid  or  gas  was  liberated,  causing  death 
and  desti'uction  to  almost  everything  with  which  it  caine  in 
contact.  I  don't  suppose  the  real  cause  of  the  mysterious 
plague  will  ever  be  found  out,  but  the  fact  of  its  having  de- 
stroyed millions  of  dollars  worth  of  fish,  is  well  known  among 
those  who  were  living  around  the  coast  at  that  time. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA.  71 


CHAPTER  II. 

CATCHING  THE  MANATEE,  OR  SEA-COW,   ON  THE  ST.    LUCIE DE- 
SCRIPTION OF  THE  CURIOUS  CREATURE. 

The  St.  Lucie  river  is  one  of  the  shortest  in  the  State,  if 
mot  in  America,  being  only  ten  miles  in  length.  It  is,  how- 
ever, scarcely  a  separate,  clearly-defined  river,  and  some  con- 
tend that  it  is  merely  a  part  of  Indian  river.  A  small  stream 
is  formed  from  the  water  that  oozes  from  the  Halpattee-oka 
Flats,  and  broadens  and  deepens  until  it  is  navigable  for 
small  boats,  and  when  it  reaches  St.  Lucie  bay  it  is  of  quite  a 
respectable  size. 

There  is  something  peculiar  about  this  stream.  Along 
its  banks,  plants  are  found  which  are  sought  for  in  vain  else- 
where ;  and  the  Indians  regard  it  with  mysterious  awe,  so  that 
it  might  be  with  propriety  called  the  Ganges  of  the  Semi- 
noles.  But  the  characteristic  which  gives  it  such  importance 
in  the  eye  of  the  hunter  is  that  here  the  rare  manatee  is  to  be 
found.  These  animals  were  once  quite  abundant,  in  many 
parts  of  the  extreme  South,  but  I  think  I  can,  with  propriety, 
assert  that  the  St.  Lucie  river  is  the  only  place  where  the 
manatee  can  be  looked  for  with  any  degree  of  certainty.  The 
high  prices  paid  for  these  rare  animals,  induce  many  people 
in  this  region  to  hunt  them,  and  it  was  my  good  fortune  once 
to  be  present  at  the  capture  of  a  lai-ge  one. 

Perhaps  it  would  be  better  to  give  a   description  of  the 


72  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

manatee  before  we  proceed  to  tell  how  they  ai"e  caught.  It  is- 
a  difficult  task,  for  we  have  here  to  deal  with  a  creature  whose 
like  is  not  to  be  found  anywhere.  A  more  awkward,  help- 
less, and  curious  creature  than  the  manatee,  when  landed,  I 
never  saw.  The  head  is  broad,  and  the  eyes  are  completely 
hidden  by  heavy  folds  of  skin,  and  the  mouth  is  shaped  very 
much  like  that  of  a  cow,  in  every  way  but  the  teeth.  These 
are  so  long  and  shaip  that  one  might  at  first  be  led  to  believe 
that  they  belonged  to  a  carnivorous  animal.  The  sea-cow, 
nevertheless,  is  a  strict  vegetarian,  and  eats  nothing  but 
aquatic  plants.  It  has  been  asserted  that  its  only  food  is  the 
manatee-grass,  which  grows  in  immense  quantities,  in  the  St. 
Lucie  river.  This  grass  has  large,  broad  blades,  and  is  found 
in  eight  or  ten  feet  of  water,  growing  on  the  bottom  and  ex- 
tending to  the  surface. 

A  full  grown  manatee  should  weigh  about  twelve  hun- 
dred pounds,  although  one  monster  was  captured,  many  years 
ago,  which  weighed  fifteen  hundred.  Such  a  one  would  be 
twelve  feet  in  length,  and  have  a  girth  of  four  feet.  They  are 
provided  with  flippers  about  ten  inches  in  length,  and  the  body 
diminishes  into  a  large  fan-like  tail,  similar  to  a  porpoise. 
The  skin  is  black,  and  sparsely  covered  with  short,  black  hair. 
They  move  with  considerable  rapidity  through  the  water,  and 
although  a  most  clumsy-looking  animal  when  on  land,  they 
understand  very  well  how  to  conduct  themselves  in  their  na- 
tive element.  They  possess,  perhaps,  the  most  acute  hearing 
of  all  animals.  So  delicate  and  perfect  is  this  sense,  in  the 
manatee,  that  the  sound  of  an  oar,  no  matter  how  carefully 
handled,  will  alarm  them  at  a  distance  of  half  a  mile.  It  is  a 
common  habit,  in  Key  West,  in  speaking  of  a  man  whose 
hearing  is  acute,  to  say  that  he  hears  like  a  manatee.  This  is 
a  wise  dispensation  of  Providence,  for  the  manatee  is  lacking  in 
almost  every  ordinary  means  of  self-defense.  When  caught, 
they  never  attempt  to  bite,  and  cannot  in  any  way  resent  the 
indignities  offered  by  their  captors. 

I  tasted  manatee  flesh  once,  and  shall  never  forget  it. 
The  fattest,  juciest  Tennessee  beef  is  by  no  means  equal  to  it, 
and  I  very  much  doubt  if  there  is  any  anything  in  the  animal 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  73 


kingdom,  that  is  so  entirely  delicious.  One  of  them  was 
stranded  on  the  beach  near  St.  Lucie  Bay,  and  some  hunters 
found  and  killed  it,  and  that  was  the  time  I  found  an  oppor- 
tunity to  test  the  flavor  of  the  flesh. 

In  the  year  1858,  I  met  a  man  named  Kelly,  who,  with 
two  or  three  others,  had  started  out  on  a  manatee  hunt.  They 
had  a  large  marlin  net,  and  a  wooden  tank,  for  the  purpose  of 
keeping  the  animal,  should  one  be  caught. 

The  spot  selected  was  a  cove,  formed' by  a  bend  of  the 
river,  where  the  water  was  twelve  feet  deep.  The  net,  which 
was  three  hundred  feet  long,  was  extended  between  stakes, 
set  firmly  in  the  bottom,  and  the  hunters  retired  to  their  huts 
in  the  adjacent  hammock,  and  patiently  awaited  results.  Two 
or  three  times  a  day  we  went  down  and  inspected  the  net,  but 
nothing  was  to  be  seen,  except  an  occasional  alligator,  who 
beat  a  hasty  retreat  through  the  large  meshes,  as  soon  as  he 
perceived  the  danger  he  was  in.  A  small  row-boat  was  used, 
in  going  to  and  from  the  net,  which  was  about  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  from  the  shore. 

After  two  weeks  of  waiting,  we  were  at  last  rewarded  by 
seeing  the  floats  bobbing  about  in  a  lively  fashion,  one  morn- 
ing when  we  visited  the  nets.  Excitedly,  but  with  sure  inove- 
ments,  the  men  took  a  bundle  of  inch  rope,  and  set  out  for  the 
captured  prize,  who  was  creating  quite  a  commotion  in  the 
water,  and  tangling  himself  up  beautifully,  in  the  relentless 
ineshes  of  the  marlin.  I  did  not  go  out  in  the  boat  and  con- 
sequently did  not  get  the  first  sight  of  the  monster,  but  they 
soon  tugged  him  into  shallow  water.  A  combination  of  ropes 
and  pulleys  was  arranged,  and  he  was  dragged  ashore,  and 
with  his  twelve  hundred  pounds,  he  was  by  no  means  easily 
managed.  He  was  then  placed  in  the  tank,  which  was  six  by 
ten  feet,  and  kept  until  a  sloop  arrived,  which  carried  the 
precious  freight  to  Key  West.  This  was  a  male,  and  about  a 
week  afterward  we  caught  a  female.  This  was  the  only  pair 
'  I  know  of  ever  having  been  captured,  and  they  should  have 
brought  quite  a  handsome  price.  But  as  it  was,  they  were 
fairly  given  awa}'^.  As  well  as  I  can  remember,  they  brought 
only  seventy-five  dollars.      P.  T.  Barnum  paid  one   thousand 


74  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

dollars  in  gold,  some  years  ago,  for  a  manatee  not  as  large  as 
some  I  have  seen,  and  their  extreme  scarcity  would  now  cause 
them  to  be  valued  at  perhaps  three  times  as  much. 

The  manatee  was  kept  a  week  before  the  sloop  arrived, 
and  I  formed  quite  an  intimate  acquaintance  with  the  strange 
creature.  For  the  first  day  or  two  he  was  shy,  but  I  com- 
menced scratching  him  on  the  head,  and  when  he  saw  that 
my  mtentions  were  good,  our  acquaintance  ripened  into 
something  like  friendship.  I  stroked  and  scratched  his  big, 
ugly  head,  and  he  opened  his  mouth  and  devoured  bananas, 
cabbage  leaves  and  delicate  bits  of  vegetables  which  I  offered 
him.  Every  time  I  came  to  the  tank,  the  huge  beast  would 
open  his  mouth  for  some  little  tidbit,  and  present  his  head  for 
a  scratching.  During  the  week  the  water  in  the  tank  was 
changed  twice — once  with  fresh,  and  once  with  salt  water ; 
one  is  as  good  as  the  other  for  the  manatee.  I  had  become 
quite  interested  in  my  pet  before  the  week  had  passed  by, 
and  rather  regretted  the  advent  of  the  sloop,  which  carried 
him  away. 

Tn  days  long  gone  by,  the  Seminoles  living  in  Whitewa- 
ter Bay,  near  Cape  Sable,  killed  the  manatee,  jerked  the  flesh 
and  sold  it  to  the  Spaniards  at  a  good  price,  and  ten  years 
ago  the  meat  could  be  bought  at  fifty  cents  a  pound.  Of 
course,  the  animals  are  becoming  fai-  too  scarce  to  admit  of  its 
being  sold  at  all.  There  is  no  doubT;  that  the  manatee  is  fast 
becoming  an  extinct  animal.  Like  the  dodo  bird,  which 
flourished  in  the  East  in  the  middle  ages,  but  is  now  extinct, 
the  sea-cow  will  pass  out  of  existence,  and  will  be  looked 
upon,  a  few  centuries  hence,  as  a  monstrosity,  and  the  only 
remaining  trace  of  its  former  existence  will  be  a  few  old 
bones,  and  an  antiquated  volume,  containing  a  description 
of  it. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA.  75 


CHAPTER  III. 

HUNTING      BEE-TBEES     ON     THE     UPPER     ST.     JOHNS     RIVER — A 
STORY   AND    A   TRAGEDY. 

Life  in  Florida  has  its  sweets,  and,  like  the  grandmother, 
its  bitters  also.  Among  the  sweets  of  an  existence  in  the 
State,  may  be  reckoned  the  finding  o±  bee-trees  and  conse- 
quent discovery  of  a  fine  lot  of  pure,  rich,  wild  honey.  That 
is,  provided  the  little  insects  do  not  take  a  notion  to  avenge 
the  desecration  of  their  castle  and  destruction  of  their  treas- 
ure. And  I  have  often  known  them  to  "get  in  their  work" 
on  their  human  robbers  in  such  a  forcible  manner  as  to  render 
the  job  anything  but  sweet. 

Of  course  the  incident  I  am  about  to  relate  was  not  the 
first  of  the  kind  I  had  experienced,  for  I  had  been  familiar 
with  bee-hunting  since  early  boyhood.  But  I  do  not  remem- 
ber to  have  ever  had  such  success  as  we  had  that  time.  The 
way  it  happened  was  thus : 

I  was  living  on  Indian  river,  near  the  mouth  of  the  St. 
Seba'stian,  and  one  fine,  sunny  day  in  early  spring,  two  of 
my  neighbors  came  to  me  and  proposed  that  we  go  on  a  hunt 
for  bee-trees.  The  idea  was  favorable  to  me,  for  I  had  long 
been  wishing  for  a  taste  of  honey,  and  we  made  preparations 
for  starting  next  day.  Each  took  a  gun  and  plenty  of  ammu- 
nition, together  with  provisions  for  a  week. 

Bees  and  honey  were  not  the  only  objects  we  were  going 
to  look  for.  Obeying  an  instinct  which  is  very  strong  in 
many  people  to  expect  something  better  ahead,  we  thought 


76  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

we  could  find  land  in  that  region  we  were  going  to  visit, 
which  would  eclipse  anything  we  had  yet  seen.  Our  destina- 
tion was  a  certain  region  on  the  west  side  of  the  St.  Johns 
river,  near  Lake  Winder,  about  fifty  miles  away.  We 
reached  the  place  on  the  second  day,  and  were  disappointed 
to  find  that  the  land  was  low  and  flat,  and  in  every  respect  in- 
ferior to  that  which  we  had  left  behind.  But  we  applied  our- 
selves next  day  to  the  hunt  for  bee-trees,  and  were  not  disap- 
pointed. In  the  morning  we  pressed  our  way  through  the 
briars  and  bushes  of  two  or  three  bay-heads,  and  entered  a 
low  palmetto  flat.  It  was  not  long  before  we  heard  a  hum  in 
the  air,  and  one  of  my  comrades,  named  Patrick,  directed  a 
sharp  glance  upward,  and  saw  a  few  bees  issuing  from  a  hole 
in  a  large  pine  about  thirty  feet  from  the  ground.  Im- 
mediately afterward  we  found  another  tree  v/hich  bore  un- 
mistakable evidence  of  being  the  home  of  a  large  quantity  of 
bees.  , 

We  marked  the  trees  with  our  axes,  scalping  off  the  bark 
and  leaving  a  broad,  white  mark  which  could  be  seen  a  long 
distance  through  the  forest.  Continuing  through  the  woods, 
we  kept  our  eyes  and  ears  strained  to  detect  the  little  workers. 
In  going  three-fourths  of  a  mile  we  found  no  less  than  eight 
trees,  and  they  all  gave  promise  of  a  large  yield  of  honey. 
But  we  postponed  cutting  the  trees  until  we  had  made  a  more 
thorough  inspection  of  the  surrounding  country. 

That  afternoon  we  shouldered  our  guns  and  went  on  a 
hunt  for  deer  and  bear.  The  St.  Johns  at  this  place  was 
about  one  hundred  feet  across ^  and  was  navigable  for  ^mall 
steamers,  although  none  had  ever  penetrated  that  region  at 
that  time.  We  reached  Lake  Winder  late  in  the  afternoon. 
Near  this  lake  we  found  a  clump  of  fine  cabbage-palms,  and 
heard  a  strange,  ripping  sound,  as  we  drew  near.  Looking 
up  in  one  of  the  trees  we  were  astonished  to  see  a  large  bear 
sitting  on  top,  trying  to  pull  out  the  tender  bud  of  the  palm. 
He  had  flattened  out  the  crown  of  leaves  so  as  to  form  quite  a 
good  lodgment  for  himself,  and  was  untiring  in  his  efforts  to 
extract  the  sweet,  tender  bud.     He  had  not  yet  observed  lis, 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA.  77 

and  was  too  much  absorbed,  perhaps,  in  the  anticipation  ot 
the  delicious  feast  he  was  going  to  enjoy,  to  notice  his  sur- 
roundings. Finally  the  bud  broke  loose  and  the  bear  swung 
backward  with  all  his  weight,  but  the  bud  came  out  too  easy. 
He  had  not  calculated  the  sudden  relaxation,  and  the  result 
was  that  he  lost  his  balance  and  came  crashing  to  the  ground. 
He  hastily  gathered  himself  up,  and  at  the  same  moment  his 
eyes  fell  on  us.  With  a  startled  grunt  he  scrambled  away 
into  the  bushes,  and  I  must  confess,  that  by  the  time  our  fire- 
arms were  in  readiness,  he  was  thrashing  his  way  through  the 
thicket,  safely  out  of  our  reach.  Pursuit  was  worse  than  use- 
less, and  it  was  growing  late,  so  we  returned  to  our  camp. 

In  spite  of  the  low,  fiat  character  of  the  land,  it  had  its 
charms.  The  saw-palmetto  and  loblolly  bay  were  in  bloom 
and  their  heavy  sweetness  burdened  the  night  air,  while  the 
ground  was  carpeted  with  the  spicy,  aromatic  pennyroyal, 
which  gave  forth  its  aroma  as  we  walked  through  it.  As 
Patrick  remarked,  the  conditions  were  in  every  way  favorable 
for  bees,  and  he  confidently  predicted  that  the  yield  of  honey 
from  our  trees  would  be  a  large  one. 

As  early  next  morning  as  we  could  make  preparations  we 
commenced  on  the  bees.  Two  of  us  took  a  good,  keen  ax 
apiece  and  pi'oceeded.  Our  first  tree  was  two  feet  in  diame- 
ter, and  "sound  as  a  dollar."  But  our  axes  were  sharp,  and 
the  thought  of  a  solid  yard  of  well-filled  honey-comb  braced 
our  muscles,  and  the  bees  had  hardly  begun  to  get  uneasy 
before  their  dwelling-place  trembled  in  its  foundations,  and 
soon  smote  the  earth.  They  were  somewhat  stunned  by  the 
fall,  and  I  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity  by  running  for- 
ward and  stopping  the  hole  with  a  bunch  of  moss. 

About  a  foot  from  the  hole  we  cut  out  a  large  chip,  and 
proceeded  cautiously  to  open  up  the  hidden  treasure.  Mean- 
while, one  of  the  men  took  a  short  stick,  wrapped  a  bunch  of 
rags  ai-ound  it  and  set  it  on  fire.  This  produced  a  large  vol- 
ume of  strong,  suffocating  smoke,  and  was  intended  to  dis- 
courage the  angry  Insects  from  pouring  out  of  the  holes  and 
attacking  us. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 


Soon  the  honey  was  reached,  and  with  very  little  trouble, 
Patrick  reached  into  the  hollow  and  drew  out  a  huge  piece  of 
comb,  covered  with  dead  and  crippled  bees,  and  although 
thousands  were  crawling  over  his  hands,  none  showed  any  dis- 
position to  sting.  Whenever  they  tried  to  swarm  out  of  their 
prison,  an  application  of  the  burning  rag  would  repress  them 
instantly.  From  this  tree  we  secured  at  least  twenty-five 
pounds  of  the  best  honey  that  ever  was  gathered  from  flowers. 
We  then  retired  to  a  shady  spot,  each  with  a  large  piece  of 
comb,  and  after  selecting  a  few  large  saw-palmetto  leaves,  we 
wove  a  net  of  them,  and  deposited  our  treasure  thereon.  The 
bees  soon  filled  the  air  around  the  fallen  tree,  and  would  have 
perhaps  made  it  lively  for  any  one  who  had  the  temerity  to  ap- 
proach them. 

Seated  on  a  log  underneath  a  large  cabbage-palm,  we 
had  before  us  a  feast  that  would  have  tempted  a  dyspeptic 
anchorite.  Be  it  known  that  three  mortals  on  that  day,  ate  so 
much  honey  that  they  avowed  the  bees  could  have  all  the 
i-est,  for  all  they  cared.  But  after  the  fierce  thirst,  occasioned 
by  such  a  diet,  was  quenched,  the  work  of  destruction  was  re- 
newed. 

With  his  hat  on  the  ground  under  his  feet,  and  his  head 
thrown  back  against  the  palm-tree,  Patrick  was  nibbling  a 
choice  bit  of  new  unsealed  comb,  when  he  suddenly  remem- 
bered that  he  had  an  adventure  to  tell.  He  was  in  that  happy 
stage  when  the  mind  is  as  tranquil  as  a  spring  morning,  and 
the  stomach  has  earned  the  warm  gratitude  of  its  owner,  for 
having  such  a  liberal  capacity.  Patrick  was  full — not  quite 
too  full  for  utterance,  else  we  would  have  been  compelled  to 
forego  the  pleasure  of  learning  just  how  and  where  he  passed 
through  such  pleasant  experiences. 

Clearing  his  throat  with  a  consequential  air,  he  began : 
"When  I  joined  Cap.  H's.  reegiment  a  couple  of  years  ago, 
nobody  ever  thought  about  me  a-gettin'  any  higher  than  a 
private,  or  a  corporal  at  the  best.  But  I  was  a-gwine  to 
prove  jist  what  stuff  was  in  me,  and  I  saved  my  reegiment, 
and  don't  you  believe  nothin'  else." 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA.  79 

Of  course  we  wanted  to  know  how  Pat  had  saved  his  regi- 
ment, and  after  waiting  discreetly  a  few  minutes,  in  order  to 
give  us  an  opportunity  of  asking  him  to  continue  his  narrative, 
he  proceeded : 

"Well,  I  tell  you  how  it  was.  You  see  we  kinder  got  out 
o'  grub.  Now,  I've  knowed  of  reegiments  that  fowt  like 
killin'  snakes,  and  didn't  have  no  shootin'  irons,  nother;  but 
when  it  comes  to  a  lot  of  men  fightin'  when  they  haint  got 
enough  in  their  craws  to  keep  a  week-old  chicken  alive  two 
minutes,  they  haint  a-gwine  to  do  much  fightin',  I  can  tell  you. 
Well,  it  was  jist  that  bad  with  us.  We  tramped  through 
swamps  and  over  hills,  and  we  couldn't  shoot  nothin',  not 
even  a  kyarn  crow,  nor  a  buzzard.  The  Cap.  had  begun  to 
look  mighty  black,  and  says  he,  'Well,  bullys  hit's  about 
gittin'  the  best  of  us,  this  time,  and  we  mowt  as  well  say  our 
prayers  and  hold  a  council  of  starvation,'  says  he.  Says  I, 
'Cap.,  I'm  nothin'  but  a  common  soldier,  but  if  you'll  gimme 
a  chance  I'll  dust  around  and  have  everybody  full  to  the  chin 
before  two  hours,'  says  I.  The  Cap.  allowed  I  was  jist 
a-talkin'  to  hear  myself,  but  all  the  same,  he  'lowed  I  might 
try,  seein'  as  how  things  was  lookin'  so  black.  To-be-sure, 
some  of  the  men  was  a-lyin'  down,  and  fixin'  to  drop  off. 
One  of  'em  'lowed  as  how  he  had  been  born  with  a  pipe 
in  his  mouth,  and  was  a-gwine  to  take  his  last  smoke,  feelin' 
happy  and  contented.  I  told  'em  as  how  I  was  a-gwine  to 
knock  all  that  nonsense  in  the  head,  and  that  they  must  not 
give  up  till  they  hearn  from  me  agin.  But  they  jist  wunk 
their  eyes  and  rolled  over." 

The  listeners  cleared  their  throats  incredulously  at  this 
tragic  turn  of  affairs,  but  Pat  continued,  as  he  artistically  sev- 
ered a  piece  of  comb,  and  cautiously  proceeded  to  consume  it: 

"Well,  I  left  'em  lyin'  there,  and  knowed  I'd  have  to 
skedaddle,  or  I'd  find  a  fust-class  funeral  all  in  full  blast  when 
I  got  back.  I  took  a  ax  and  went  atter  a  bee  tree.  And,  lo 
and  behold!  I  hadn't  gone  more'n  a  quarter 'fore  I  seen  a 
stream  of  bees  a-comin'  out'n  a  big  forked  cypress.  I  fell  to 
choppin'  on  it,  and  hadn't  much  more'n  got  through  the  sap^ 


80  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

when  out  popped  a  stream  of  honey  as  big  as  my  arm."  A 
most  energetic  yawning  interrupted  the  narrator  at  this  mo- 
ment, but  he  dauntlessly  continued  : 

"Maybe  you  wouldn't  have  believed  it,  but  that  honey 
was  as  clear  as  spring-water,  and  I  cotch  my  hat  full  the 
fust  thing.  'But  gosh !'  says  I,  'that  won't  begin  to  be  a  taste 
for  them  starvin'  ci'itters.'  So  I  took  and  peeled  off  a  big 
hunk  of  bark  and  let  it  run  full.  Well,  I  looked  through  the 
swamp  and  seen  a  'tater  patch  on  a  hill  on  t'other  side.  I 
knowed  them  fellers  'ould  want  sump'in'  'sides  pyore  honey, 
so  I  run  over  there,  and  it  wan't  no  time  'fore  I  was  a- 
grabblin'  them  'taters.  Yes,  a  big  flop-eared  hound  did  make 
for  me,  but  about  the  time  he  come  'yoogle,  yoogle,'  atter  me, 
I  gin  him  a  dost  from  my  rifle,  and  you  know  them  there  pills 
alius  gits  in  their  work " 

At  this  supreme  moment  a  solitary  bee  wandered  past, 
and  perhaps  becoming  angry  at  the  coolness  with  which  we 
had  appropriated  his  hard  earnings,  surely  and  quickly  selected 
Pat's  upper  lip  for  his  resting  place.  The  struggle  was  short 
and  sharp.  Pat  danced  the  can-can,  making  havoc  with  some 
of  our  honey,  and  it  was  with  a  sad  eye  and  pulsating  lip  that 
he  resumed  his  seat.  His  remarks  were  brief,  but  to  the 
point,  as  had  been  the  encounter  with  the  angry  insect,  and 
when  we  ventured  to  ask  whether  that  was  the  kind  of  "pills" 
he  had  referred  to,  he  looked  dangerous.  We  wondered  what 
became  of  the  starving  "reegiment"  that  had  lain  down  to 
die,  but  we  were  not  enlightened  any  further  as  to  their  fate. 
Pat  went  about  with  an  overhanging  lip,  and  a  dogged  deter- 
mination to  say  as  little  as  possible. 

We  then  cut  several  other  trees,  and  secured  as  much  of 
the  money  as  we  could  carry  home  in  our  improvised  knap- 
sacks of  saw-palmetto.  We  brought  home  enough  honey  to 
last  for  several  weeks.  Even  at  this  day,  the  region  around 
Lake  Winder  is  rich  in  bee-trees  and  honey,  and  people  some- 
times go  as  far  as  thirty  miles  to  get  a  stand  of  bees  from  that 
vicinity. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  81 


CHAPTER  IV. 

IN  WHICH  A  COMPANY  OF  SOLDIERS  GET  SHORT  OF  RATIONS    AND 
THE    READER    IS    INTRODUCED    TO   A    REMARK- 
ABLE     FAMILY. 

I  beg  my  readers  to  excuse  me  for  recurring  to  an  inci- 
dent which  might  have  come  under  the  head  ot  "War  Reminis- 
cences;" but,  at  this  day  and  time,  we  can,  through  tlic 
agency  of  memory,  enter  the  battle-field  and  view  the  strife 
without  fear  of  stray  bullets,  and  the  terrors  of  those  days 
have  given  place  to  the  quiescent  recollections,  which  still 
form  the  darling  theme  of  many  a  vetei-an  in  the  evening  of 
life.  As  this  will  probably  be  the  last  of  my  ''war  series,"  I 
hope  the  reader  will  patiently  hear  me  through  the  recital  of 
an  adventure  of  mine,  which,  while  perhaps  devoid  of  dra- 
matic or  sensational  detail,  is  none  the  less  strongly  impressed 
on  my  memory. 

First,  I  will  introduce  you  to  our  camp,  situated  on  the 
east  side  of  Pease  Creek,  half  a  mile  from  Fort  Meade,  on  a 
little  stream  called  Sink  Branch.  You  observe  that  the  sur- 
rounding country  is  high,  rolling  pine  land,  but  as  we  cross  a 
low  ridge  covered  with  willow-oaks,  we  come  suddenly  upon 
one  of  the  wonders  of  this  remarkable  region.  Making  our 
way  through  the  tangle  of  myrtle  and  palmetto,  we  suddenly 
behold,  lying  at  our  feet,  a  crj'stal-clear  spring,  bubbling  up 
with  great  energy.  The  spring  is  twenty  feet  across  and  is 
fathomless.  In  all  probability,  this  spring  is  fed  through 
som.e    deep    subterranean   passage,  by  the   waters   of   Pease 


82  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

Creek.  The  water  is  delieiously  cool  and  as  pure  as  moun- 
tain dew.  Under  the  shade  of  some  overhanging  willow-oaks 
we  pitched  our  tents,  and  I  doubt  if  we  could  have  found  a 
better  camping-spot  in  South  Florida. 

We  rose  from  an  invigorating  breakfast  of  fresh  venison, 
on  the  morning  of  the  tenth  of  May,  1857,  and  assembled  re- 
spectfully together,  to  receive  commands  for  the  day's  sei-vice 
from  our  captain,  William  B.  Moselv,  of  the  Florida  Mounted 
Volunteers.  (Captain  Mosely  was  a  son  of  Ex-Governor 
Mosely,  of  Florida,  and  was  one  of  the  best  men  I  ever  knew 
— the  soldiers  were  all  much  attached  to  him.  He  once 
owned  a  large  tract  of  land  on  the  Heights,  near  Palatka,  and 
I  believe  is  still  living. )  For  many  days  previous  we  had  not 
been  called  upon  to  perform  any  serious  or  exciting  duty,  and 
had  deported  ourselves  as  hunters,  rather  than  soldiers.  But 
now,  something  more  serious  was  before  us.  Captain 
Mosely  told  us,  briefly,  that  we  were  to  go  on  a  scout  and 
gather  in  the  few  Seminoles  who  were  yet  out  of  the  fold.  In 
other  words,  we  were  to  penetrate  a  region,  which,  at  that 
time,  was  almost  entirely  unknown  and  untraveled.  That, 
too,  in  the  face  of  rumors  of  the  ugliest  sort,  concerning  the 
dire  fate  of  certain  venturesome  parties  wdio  had  penetrated 
into  this  unpeopled  wilderness  in  search  of  game,  but  no  ani- 
mal came  near  them,  except  the  black  vultures  which  found 
their  poor,  starved  and  shriveled  corpses  near  some  bay 
or  hidden  stream,  where  the  lost  hunters  had  lain  down  to 
die,  in  despair  of  ever  getting  home  again.  The  distance  to 
be  traversed  was  something  near  a  hundred  miles,  and  the 
"Jornada  del  Muei'to"*  that  lay  between,  held  out  but  little 
inducement  to  us,  although  not  one  of  the  stout  Florida  vol- 
unteers hesitated  for  a  moment  to  obey  the  call  of  duty.  Our 
destination  was  Camp  Whipple,  where  a  company  of  regulars 

*The  "Jornada  del  Muerto"  (Spanish  "Journey  of  Death")  is  a  long  arid 
strip  of  land  lying  west  of  the  Eio  Grande,  where  travelers  often  perish  for  want 
of  food  and  water,  while  trying  to  cross  the  great  soda  plains.  In  the  Florida 
"Jornada,"  however,  the  traveler  suffered  only  for  want  of  food.  "Water  was 
plentiful,  and  only  the  lack  of  game  and  the  sparse  population  rendered  it  un- 
safe for  those  who  attempted  the  journey  unprepared.  But  since  then  the  region 
has  become  the  home  of  a  happy  and  prosperous  people. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 


were  stationed.  At  that  place  we  were  to  turn  over  our  pris- 
oners, if  we  were  so  fortunate  as  to  make  a  capture,  make  our 
reports,  and  return  to  Fort  Meade, 

It  was  perhaps  six  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  we 
shouldered  arms  and  marched  forth  over  the  long  slopes, 
carpeted  with  wire  grass,  which  quivered  and  swayed  in  the 
morning  breeze  like  a  ground-swell  on  the  ocean.  The  cav- 
ernous excavations  of  the  gophers,  and  the  little  hillocks  of 
yellow  sand,  upheaved  by  the  "salamanders,"  were  the  only 
traces  of  animal  life  to  be  seen  in  that  lonely  spot. 

Then  we  descended  into  long  stretches  of  flatwoods,  cov- 
ered with  a  rank  growth  of  blueberry,  myrtle,  saw  palmetto 
and  siren-flower.  Our  eyes  were  well  practised  in  detecting 
Indian  trails,  but  we  utterly  failed  to  discover  anything  what- 
ever. Evidently  the  wary  redskins  were  ensconced  in  some 
thick,  shady  hammock  or  bay-head,  not  trusting  themselves 
out  on  open  ground. 

And  whenever  of  one  these  jungles  was  approached,  we 
began  to  look  out  for  a  shower  of  bullets  from  the  hidden  foe. 
Very  often  had  a  whole  company  been  routed  by  a  fusilade 
from  a  few  dastardly  rascals  hidden  in  the  palmetto  and 
bramble,  through  which  thej^^  glided  with  the  ease  of  rattle- 
snakes, when  pursued.  In  the  hammocks  the  white  man  was 
hardly  a  match  for  the  Seminole. 

We  marched  along  until  the  end  of  the  second  day,  when 
our  provisions  gave  out.  The  farther  we  went  the  less  en- 
couraging became  the  prospect,  and  in  the  morning  we  began 
to  feel  serious,  for  as  the  sun  ascended,  our  appetites  rose  ac- 
cordingly, and  the  wherewith  to  satisfy  our  cravings  was  no 
where  to  be  found.  From  hunting  human  beings,  *we  turned 
our  attention  toward  hunting  for  something  to  eat.  When 
the  day  was  far  advanced,  and  we  were  faint  and  weary,  one 
of  the  men  found  a  bunch  of  comptie,  the  famous  bread-root  of 
the  Indians.  We  tried  to  prepare  some  of  the  roots  for  food, 
by  peeling  them  and  frying  them  in  the  little  mickle  of  lard 
we  had  saved,  and  we  forced  down  a  few  spoonsful  of  the 


84  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA. 

wretched  mess.  It  is  not  necessary  to  say  that  vve  vowed  to 
discard  comptie  from  our  bill  of  fare  in  the  future.  When 
prepared  properly,  it  tastes  very  much  like  arrow-root  or  cas- 
sava, although  it  does  not  contain  as  much  nourishment  as 
either. 

The  morning  of  the  third  day  dawned  upon  a  landscape 
radiant  with  dewy  flowers,  but  it  brought  but  little  comfort  to 
the  handful  of  starving  soldiers,  who  were  looking  as  though 
they  were  well-nigh  exhausted.  "Tat"  Kendrick  and  I  vol- 
unteered to  set  forth  in  search  of  Camp  Whipple,  which  we 
knew  must  lie  within  ten  miles  of  us.  Mounting  our  ponies 
we  struck  out  toward  Pease  Creek,  and  reached  the  mouth  of 
that  stream  after  a  two  hours'  ride.  At  this  place  we  fired  off 
our  guns,  and  were  rejoiced  to  hear  the  answering  report  of  a 
g,un  away  off  to  the  south.  We  repeated  the  signal,  fearing 
that  there  might  have  been  some  mistake,  and  again  the 
friendly  booming  of  the  guns  told  us  that  deliverance  was 
near.  My  companion,  "Tat"  Kendrick,  usually  so  vivacious, 
witty  and  full  of  life,  had  grown  haggard  and  wan,  and  the 
few  words  he  uttered  were  freighted  with  woe  unutterable. 
His  hopes  revived,  however,  when  he  heard  the  guns.  Right 
here,  before  I  go  any  further,  I  wish  to  say  a  few  words  about 
"he  Kendrick  family.  They  were  a  jovial,  fun-loving  set  of 
mortals,  who  often  whiled  away  the  hours  when  in  congenial 
company,  by  telling  monstrous  tales,  which  by  far  eclipsed 
Munchhausen  or  Jules  Verne  in  the  richness  and  grotesque- 
ness  of  their  imagination.  Finally,  "Old  Bill  Kendrick" 
became  known  as  the  "tarnationest  story-teller  in  all 
Flurridy,"  and  so  rapidly  did  his  fame  spread,  that  people 
began  to  "make  allowances"  for  everything  Mr.  Kendrick 
said,  whether  joking  or  in  earnest.  This  sad  state  of  affairs 
did  not  alarm  the  old  gentleman  in  the  least,  although  it  did 
him  great  injustice,  for  he  was,  after  all,  a  sober,  industrious 
citizen,  his  greatest  drawback  beinsf  a  light  regard  for  the  wel- 
fare of  his  own  good  name. 

As  usual,  when  a  person  attained  distinction  in  that  re- 
gion, everybody  was  ready  to  swell  his  reputation  and  add  to 
his  fame.     Anybody  who  could  make  up  a  yarn  on  old  Billy, 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  85 

repeated  it  whenever  practicable,  and  many  of  liis  traducers 
were  his  inferiors,  when  it  came  to  that.  Somebody,  who 
had  very  little  else  to  do,  told  a  huge  story  about  Billy  Ken- 
drick  and  his  brother  Tat,  which  represented  the  latter  as  hav- 
ing once  out-lied  his  brother  Bill  so  completely  that  the  old 
gentleman  was  sorely  grieved ;  and  bowed  his  head  and  wept, 
and  the  sound  of  his  weeping  was  heard  afar  off — boohooing 
like  a  colicky  baby.  I  can  not  at  this  moment  distinctly  recall 
the  yarn  supposed  to  have  been  told  by  Tat,  but  I  think  it  was 
something  about  a  fish  he  had  caught,  which  was  so  large  that 
it  made  a  hole  in  the  water  so  big  that  it  was  three  days  in 
filling  up.  They  said  that  the  yarn  reformed  Bill,  and  that 
he  quit  the  romancing  business  then,  and  for  all  time. 

Tat  Kendrick  rode  off  toward  the  spot  from  whence  the 
sounds  of  the  gun  came,  while  I  returned  to  the  camp  and  re- 
ported the  good  news  to  our  captain.  It  put  new  life  into 
every  man  and  strengthened  them  for  the  journey. 

Now,  I  am  strongly  tempted  to  unveil  a  tragedy  which  was 
being  enacted  as  I  came  into  camps,  wherein  a  poor,  helpless 
gopher  was  the  victim,  perishing  at  the  hands  of  a  dozen 
soldiers,  but  I  will  not  betray  my  companions-in-arms,  for  any 
consideration.  Besides,  if  I  were  to  tell  you  that  the  men, 
with  all  due  reverence  and  respect,  presented  the  two  fore- 
legs of  the  miserable  little  turtle  to  their  captain,  before  con- 
suming the  rest  with  the  relish  of  starved  vultures,  you  would 
not  believe  it ;  so,  I  will  remain  silent  on  the  subject. 

When  we  reached  Camp  Whipple,  we  were  in  a  sad  con- 
dition ;  completely  exhausted  and  half-delirious.  We  were  of 
course  not  allowed  to  eat  as  fast  as  our  appetites  prompted, 
and  it  was  a  long  time  before  we  were  satisfied.  We  were 
taken  care  of  in  the  best  possible  manner,  and  in  a  week  were 
able  to  return  to  Fort  Meade. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  87 


CHAPTER  V. 

some  remarks  about  the   seminoles description   of   the 

"greek-corn  dance,"  and  other  customs. 

The  annals  of  this  decaying  race,  if  written  in  strict 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  truth,  and  without  prejudice,  would 
place  them  in  a  better  light  than  the  one  in  which  most  peo- 
ple are  disposed  to  regard  them.  The  Comanche  and  Arapa- 
hoe are  as  inferior  to  the  Seminole,  morally  and  mentally,  as 
is  possible,  in  two  tribes  of  Indians.  The  fiendish 
instinct  which  leads  the  wild  tribes  of  the  West  to  prolong 
the  death  of  a  captive  over  a  slow  fire,  is  totally  lacking  in 
the  red  man  of  Florida.  Through  all  the  long  and  bloody 
strife  which  preceded  the  settlement  of  Florida,  no  well- 
well-grounded  tale  was  ever  told,  of  a  Seminole  putting  a 
captive  to  death  in  an  unnatural  manner.  He  was  none  the 
less  heroic  or  warlike,  for  his  lack  of  brutality;  in  war,  his 
first  thought  was  to  subdue  his  enemy  at  once  and  forever, 
with  a  bullet ;  the  thought  of  a  lingering  death  was  not  pleas- 
ant to  him.  The  customs  and  habits  of  the  aborigines  of 
Florida  are  not  such  as  as  would  grace  a  parlor  or  ball-room, 
but  they  are  by  no  means  repulsive.  The  wild,  free  life  which 
suits  them  best  has  engendered  in  them  a  love  of  freedom, 
which  they  know  how  to  fight  for  with  energy  and  wear  with 
dignity. 

However,  the  few  Seminoles  who  remain  as  relics  of 
past  glory  and  power,  are  becoming  demoralized,  in  an 
alarming   degree,  by  the  encroachments  of  modern  civilization 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 


and  "wyomi"  (whiskey).  These  potent  agents  have.  in.  a 
great  measure,  subjugated  the  eesta-ehatta's  wild,  unbridled 
tendency  to  live  and  die  as  free  and  as  innocent  of  work, 
as  the  alligators  and  herons  of  his  native  marshes. 

The  average  Seminole  of  to-day  scorns  any  impediment 
in  the  way  of  breeches,  and  seems  to  think  that  the  use  of  these 
garments  betokens  little  else  but  vanity  and  extravagance  on 
the  part  of  those  who  wear  them.  The  change  of  the  season 
does  not  affect  his  attire,  for  the  only  garment  between  him 
and  the  world — a  stout,  well-greased  shirt — serves  him  as 
well  in  winter  as  in  spring.  Sometiines  they  come  striding 
into  Kissimmee,  as  stately  and  en  deshabille  as  a  bronze  sta- 
tue of  Mercurjy .  Lately,  however,  the  braves  are  presented 
with  a  pair  of  pants  immediately  upon  their  arrival  in  Kis- 
simmee. Tom  Tiger  has  formed  the  habit  of  dressing  in  a 
becoming  manner,  and  when  rigged  out  in  a  pair  of  new 
pants,  a  pair  of  moccasins,  a  blight,  clean  calico  shirt,  and  a 
half-dozen  red  handkerchiefs  around  his  neck,  crowned  with 
an  immense  red  turban,  no  one  can  help  admiring  him.  His 
splendid  figure,  and  the  careless,  unconscious  grace  with 
which  he  carries  himself,  will  always  impress  the  person  who 
meets  Tom  Tiger  for  the  first  time.  Billy  Buster,  who  is  a 
little  older  than  Tom,  does  not  reflect  much  glory  on  his 
his  ancestry.  Billy  still  remains  as  unregenerated  as  can  be, 
and  disdainfully  refuses  to  accept  the  pair  of  pants  usually 
tendered  him  upon  his  arrival  in  Kissimmee.  Nobody  ever 
saw  Billy  Buster  dressed  like  a  white  man,  and  it's  very  likely 
that  nobody  ever  will. 

The  Seminole  language  is  a  curious  anomaly  of  verbs 
adjectives  and  nouns  :  I  am  almost  tempted  to  say  that  these 
complete  the  parts  of  speech  in  Seminole  grammar.  The 
words  are  almost  invariably  accented  on  the  penultimate 
syllable,  and  are  rich  in  aspirates  and  linguidentals.  Like 
the  Russian  language,  the  Seminole  has  no  article,  the  words 
"the"  and  "a"  being  unknown.  I  will  give  the  following 
Seminole  words,  with  their  eqivalent  in  English,  in  lieu  of  a 
longer  dissertation  on  the  grammar  of  the  language,    and    in 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA.  89 

pronouncing  them,  the  reader   should  bear  in   mind   that   all 
the  words  are  accented  on  the  syllable  next  to   the   last : 

Ab-bass-wah Bread. 

Soff-kee Grits,  or   comptie. 

Po-leg-dah Stool  or  chair. 

Ee-fah Dog- 

Hal-pa-tah Alligator. 

Ee-cho .Deer. 

Che-lok-kah Horse. 

Wah-ku-hoo-tee .Bull. 

Wah-ku Steer. 

Wah-ku-pos-see. Cow. 

Wah-ku-pos-see-ne-hah .....Butter. 

Toad-kah Fire. 

0-skay .Rain. 

To-kabiss-loo .Boat. 

The  following  words  form    an   exception   to   the  general 
rule,  having  the  rising  inflection  on  the  last  syllable: 

Chan-kee Hand. 

Thath-o Fish. 

Chit-tokkanee-wah Money. 

Chit-tokkanee-wah-katee Purse. 

Lo-kasee Bear. 

The  above  will  suflSce  to  give  the  reader  an  idea  of  this 
barbarous  tongue,  and  will  probably  satisfy  all  who  survive 
the  first  trial. 

I  do  not  think  there  are  more  than  three  hundred  In- 
dians living  in  Florida  at  the  present  day,  although  no  accu- 
rate figures  can  be  obtained,  owing  to  their  shyness  and  diead 
of  anything  pertaining  to  "red  tape."  Rumor  once  had  it 
that  Jacob  Summerlin,  one  of  the  foremost  of  the  frontiers- 
men of  Florida,  and  a  cattle-king  of  no  mean  dominion,  once 
laid  a  striking  and  original  plan  for  taking  a  census  of  all  the 
Seminoles     in     Florida,    which   apparently  should  have  sue- 


90  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

ceeded.  It  was  alleged  that  he  sent  an  agent  among  them, 
to  announce  that  a  grand  festival  was  to  be  given  at  Fort 
Myers,  and  the  whole  tribe  w^as  invited  to  partake  of  it.  But 
the  plan  was  a  failure;  "Holiwaugus — no  good!"  was  the 
sententious  reply,  and  no  amount  of  argument  or  explanation 
could  convince  them  that  the  invitation  did  not  arise  from 
sinister  motives. 

Like  most  other  tribes,  the  Seminoles  consider  the  la- 
bors of  the  field  far  beneath  their  dignity.  The  squaw  is  the 
farmer,  while  the  brave  warrior  scours  the  hammocks  and 
flatwoods  in  search  of  game,  or  dozes  away  the  long  sum- 
mer hours  beneath  the  oak  and  palm.  The  fine  corn  and 
pumpkins,  of  which  I  have  spoken  in  the  first  part  of  my 
book,  were  planted  and  tended  by  these  patient,  horny- 
handed  daughters  of  toil. 

Many  years  ago,  I  became  acquainted  with  a  young  man 
named  Moore,  who  had  earned  quite  a  reputation  by  his  at- 
tempts to  affiliate  with  the  Seminoles,  and  become  as  one  of 
them.  He  stayed  with  them  three  months,  and  in  that  pe- 
riod of  time,  saw  many  of  their  peculiar  manners  and  cus- 
toms displayed.  He  often  spoke  of  the  famous  "green-corn 
dance,"  which  he  had  once  seen.  Now,  I  never  was  an  eye- 
witness of  this  peculiar  ceremony,  and  will  have  to  quote  Mr. 
Moore  as  my  authority  for  the  following  description : 

He  had  been  with  them  perhaps  a  month,  and  had  been 
initiated  into  many  of  their  mysteries.  In  his  intercourse 
with  them,  he  had  picked  up  enough  of  their  language  to 
make  himself  intelligible  to  them;  his  fine  sportsmanship,  vm- 
erring  aim  and  unfailing  good  humor  had  won  the  admiration 
of  the  young  braves,  and  even  the  old,  long-headed  warriors 
had  begun  to  regard  him  with  less  suspicion.  Many  a  frisky 
squirrel,  seemingly  secure,  on  the  topmost  boughs  of  the 
towering  live  oaks  and  hickories,  came  whirling  to  the  ground 
at  the  call  of  his  rifle,  and  if  he  "jumped"  a  deer,  there  was 
sure  to  be  venison  in  camp  that  day.  Littleton  Hancock,  in 
his  palmiest  days,  couM  not  have  been  a  greater  terror  to 
deer  than  was  this  man  Mooie. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  91 

As  I  said  before,  he  had  been  with  the  luuums  about  a 
month,  when  he  saw  the  dance,  and  it  was  in  early  May. 
One  day,  soon  after  the  orange  blooms  had  faded  in  the 
hammocks,  and  the  tassels  were  just  browning  over  the  fields 
of  corn,  there  were  great  preparations  made,  for  some  sort 
of  feast,  which  Moore  could  not  account  for,  and  the  Indians 
were  not  communicative  on  the  subject.  Great  piles  of 
comptie  had  been  dug  and  washed  ;  many  cabbage  palm  trees 
were  slau|^htered,  and  the  snow-white  buds  prepared  for  the 
pot.  A  spot  of  ground  was  selected  in  the  shadiest  part  of 
the  hammock,  where  three  giant-bodied  live  oaks  leaned  their 
great  arms  together,  and  a  large  space  of  ground  under  the 
trees  was  divested  of  its  growth  of  palmettoes  and  bushes, 
and  swept  clean.  A  fire  of  rich  pine-knots  and  oak  limbs  was 
built  in  the  center,  and  after  awhile,  there  was  a  deep  bed  of 
live  coals.  The  women  came  in  from  the  fields,  laden  with 
green  corn,  which  they  husked  and  placed  in  the  embers  to 
roast,  while  the  old  men  held  secret  council  together,  and 
skinned  the  deer  and  wild  hogs  brought  in  by  the  young  war- 
riors. From  the  dark  recesses  of  the  Coontee-sassa-hollober, 
the  ancient  warriors  came,  bearing  venison  and  bear-meat  on 
their  shoulders ;  from  the  islands  of  Okeechobee,  and  the 
heron-tenanted  prairies  and  hammocks  of  the  great  Coontee- 
seema-pollawah  and  Saffaj-eehojee's  Town,  the  idusky  red 
legions  came  trooping  to  the  scene  of  festivity. 

When  the  guests  had  assembled,  the  chief,  glittering  in 
war  paint  and  silver  ornaments,  rose  to  his  feet  and  in  a  few 
words,  directed  the  opening  of  the  performance.  A  circle 
was  formed,  and  a  march  begun,  during  which  a  strange, 
dirge-like  song  was  chanted  ;  faster  and  faster  moved  the  pro- 
cession around  the  fire.  On  and  on  they  swept,  not  pausing 
a  moment  for  breath,  until  finally,  the  yelling,  dancing, 
jumping  redskins  sank  down  to  rest,  and  to  feast  on  the  ven- 
ison, comptie  and  palm-cabbage,  which  were  temptingly  dis- 
played on  platters  of  palmetto.  The  fragrant  brown  ears  of 
roasted  corn  were  brought  forward  and  distributed  among  the 
throng,  as  an  emblem  of  future  peace  and  prosperity. 

Moore  said  that  one  peculiar  feature  of  this  custom  was. 


92  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

that  all  fugitives  who  had  been  banished  from  the  tribes, 
were  allowed  to  return,  for  a  brief  period,  even  when  they  had 
been  exiled  for  some  grave  offense.  As  the  procession  formed 
around  the  fire,  there  could  be  seen  brothers,  sisters,  parents 
and  sometimes  sweethearts,  standing  and  waiting  for  the  dear 
one  who  had  been  long  absent. 

At  a  Seminole  wedding,  the  new  couple  enter  a  ring 
composed  of  two  or  three  dozen  dancers.  The  procession 
moves  rapidly  around  them ;  the  bridegroom  carries  in  his 
hand  a  piece  of  venison,  and  the  bride  has  an  ear  of  corn, 
which  she  hands  to  her  husband,  saying:  "I  will  provide  bread 
if  you  will  furnish  the  meat."  Whereupon,  the  warrior  pre- 
sents the  venison  to  his  squaw,  and  repeats  his  part  of  the 
formula. 

Moore  also  witnessed  a  war-dance,  in  which  over  fifty 
braves  participated.  While  they  were  forming  a  ring,  pre- 
paratory to  commencing  the  dance,  the  chief  hid  himself  in 
the  densest  portion  of  the  hammock,  and  no  one  dared  ap- 
proach him ;  some  mysterious  rite  was  being  celebrated,  which 
must  not  be  witnessed  by  profane  eyes — ^perhaps  a  consecration 
of  body  and  soul,  to  the  god  of  war.  In  the  meantime,  the 
solemn,  measured  minuet  began ;  in  deep  chest-tones,  the 
warriors  sang  the  song  of  battle,  their  voices  rising  from  a 
low  wail  in  a  minor  key,  to  a  roar  like  that  of  an  alligator.  Sud- 
denly, without  the  least  warning,  the  chief  came  bounding 
into  the  midst  of  the  ring.  The  circle  widened,  leaving  him 
plenty  of  room  for  his  wild  leaps  and  gyrations,  and  the  yells 
of  the  excited  savages  rose  to  the  highest  notch.  The  chief 
took  a  stick  of  sour-orange  wood,  on  one  end  of  which  was  a 
carving  of  a  man's  head  ;  thrusting  this  in  the  ground,  in  the 
center  of  the  circle,  he  drew  his  long,  bright  hunting-knife, 
brought  it  down  upon  the  carved  head,  and  went  through  all 
the  motions  of  scalping.     Then  rose  the  death-song : 

Ecah-esah-ah-lee — 
Ecah-bosah-ah-lee ! 

Wah  -  luck  -  luck  -  luck — 

Wah-luck-luck-lufk!- 
Wah-lucklo-bah-ah-lee! 
Olucklo-wah-ah-lee ! 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  93 

The  orgies  were  now  at  the  highest  pitch,  and  it  would 
not  have  been  safe  to  jump  into  their  midst,  at  that  moment. 
Moore  said  that  he  "lay  low  and  sung  easy,"  while  that 
war-dance  was  going  on.  After  the  ceremony  of  scalping 
was  ended,  the  panting  braves  subsided,  and  they  proceeded 
to  stow  away  an  incredible  amount  of  comptie  and  venison. 

An  Indian  needs  but  one  cooking  utensil.  A  brass  kettle 
takes  the  place  of  pot,  stew-pan,  oven,  basin  and  bucket,  and 
great  care  is  taken  to  keep  it  polished  brightly.  On  rainy 
days,  the  squaws  whittle  out  spoons,  and  that  completes  the 
list  of  table-ware,  for  the  eesta-chatta  has  no  use  for  cups  or 
dishes. 

Seminoles  have  very  strict  ideas  of  sociaFvirtue,  and  any  of 
their  number — male  or  female — who  oversteps  the  bounds  of 
of  chastity,  is  severely  punished.  Perpetual  banishment  has 
often  been  inflicted  on  those  who  broke  the  laws  in  this  re- 
spect ;  Billy  Bowlegs,  a  former  chief  of  the  Seminoles,  wa? 
condemned  to  wander  apart  from  his  tribe,  for  along  time,  as 
a  punishment  for  some  misdeed  of  a  similar  nature.  Tom 
Tiger  once  brought  his  squaw  to  town  on  a  visit,  and 
while  there,  of  course  she  attracted  a  good  deal  of  attention. 
One  of  the  "big  men"  of  the  town  invited  Tom  and  his  squavv^ 
to  take  a  boat  ride  with  him,  on  a  neighboring  lake.  Tom 
accepted  the  invitation  in  silence,  but  eyed  the  eesta-hotka 
distrustfully,  all  the  while  ;  with  an  Indian's  keen  perec»ption, 
he  concluded  that  the  white  man  was  not  actuated  solely  by  a 
desire  to  please  him  and  his  squaw,  and  he  prepared  himself 
for  some  unfair  trick.  But  the  pale-face  had  no  smch  inten- 
tions ;  the  Indians  interested  him,  and  he  wished  to  learn 
some  of  their  peculiar  ways.  He  learned  a  good  deal.  Act- 
uated by  a  sudden  burst  of  gallantry,  he  seized  Mrs.  Tiger's 
hand.  Tom  raised  his  gun,  and  with  a  "Holiwaugus  !"  that 
would  have  startled  anybody,  ordered  the  boat  put  about  for 
land.  Tom  and  his  squaw  hustled  off  down  the  river,  to  Ro- 
sahe.  He  never  brought  his  squaw  to  that  place  any  more, 
and  it  is  very  likely  that  that  white  man  generally  managed  to 
be  absent,  whenever  the  Indians  "painted  the  town  red." 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  95 


CHAPTEE   VI. 

NED  MARK  AND  MYSELF  TRY  OUR  FORTUNES  ON  INDIAN  RIVER 

A  NARROW  ESCAPE  FROM  DEATH. 

Many  and  varied  have  been  the  descriptions  of  the  In- 
dian River  region,  and  it  is  not  an  easy  task  to  traverse  un- 
trodden ground  in  speaking  of  it  at  this  day  and  time.  Sid- 
ney Lanier  dreamed  his  sweetest  dreams  under  its  feathery 
cocoa  palms,  and  tells  us,  in  glowing  words,  how  his  heart 
was  enthralled  by  the  weird  beauties  of  the  enchanted  river. 
Audubon,  the  great  naturalist,  entrapped  the  purple  gallinule 
and  roseate  spoonbill  in  its  silent  marshes,  and  left  for 
succeeding  generations,  a  record  of  the  wonders  of  that  region, 
and  now  when  the  blase  tourist  has  become  surfeited  with  the 
scenes  of  the  West,  he  often  comes  to  the  shores  of  Indian 
river,  to  forget  fatigue  and  ennui  in  the  charms  of  bee-hunt- 
ing, mullet- catching,  and  chasing  that  noble  animal,  the  bear. 
And  if  he  wishes  to  descend,  at  one  flop,  from  the  sublime  to 
the  ridiculous,  he  takes  a  "grain"  in  his  hand,  and  impales 
the  festive  stingaree.  This  animal  (which  is  also  called  "the 
bob-tail  end  of  creation")  will  receive  proper  attention  farther 
on. 

I  was  more  fortunate  than  many  other  mortals,  in  the  se- 
lection of  a  birthplace,  and  have  always  betn  proud  of  my 
good  judgment  in  choosing  Florida  as  my  native  State ;  in- 
deed, that  is  the  only  act  of  my  life  of  which  I  can  make  much 
boast.  Having  been  born  in  the  semi-tropic  zone,  I  did  not 
have  to  go  through  the  initiating  process,  like  the  people  who 
come  here  late  in  life.  And  as  the  years  increase,  I  lose  not 
a  ray  of  the  sunshine  that  surrounded  my  infancy,  and  I  might 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA. 


well  say  that  the  Florida  of  half  a  century  ago  was  not  more 
pleasant  than  it  is  to-day.  The  people,  with  their  steamboats, 
railroads  and  other  big  projects  have  turned  things  around 
completely,  making  a  new  country  of  it.  And  in  the  midst 
of  all  this,  the  old  stagers  are  all  having  their  say,  about  how 
it  "used  to  was."     Now  my  turn  has  come. 

The  chilling  winds  of  November,  A.  D.  1858,  were  caus- 
ing the  orange  trees  to  huddle  their  limbs  together  for  warmth 
and  protection,  when  my  companion  Ned  Marr  and  myself 
concluded  to  forsake  our  bachelor  quarters  on  Tampa  Bay, 
and  seek  more  congenial  surroundings  on  the  east  coast.  Our 
objective  point  was  Honey  Branch,  which  had  attracted  my 
attention  when  I  passed  through  that  region  several  years  be- 
fore. The  greater  part  of  the  remainder  of  the  year  was  con- 
sumed in  reaching  our  destination,  and  when  we  got  there, 
the  first  act  of  our  administration  was  to  build  a  hut  of  poles 
and  palm  leaves.  We  were  well  supplied  with  knives,  forks, 
tin-plates  and  other  kitchen  utensils,  having  attended  to  all 
business  of  that  description  before  we  left  Tampa  Bay.  The 
spot  selected  for  our  future  home  was  a  shady  nook,  in  a  cab- 
bage palm  grove,  within  a  few  feet  of  the  river.  Taking  a 
sharp  hatchet,  I  sought  out  some  slender  poles  from  a  ham- 
mock near  by.  Each  pole  was  2ibout  eight  feet  long,  and  had 
a  crotch  on  one  end,  formed  by  the  short  stump  of  a  limb 
spared  for  that  purpose.  The  other  end  was  hewn  to  a  sharp 
point.  One  pair  of  poles  was  cut  three  feet  longer  than  the 
rest.  I  stack  the  four  short  poles  in  the  ground,  forming  a 
square  of  about  foui"teen  feet ;  the  long  poles  were  placed  in 
the  middle  at  the  ends  so  as  to  give  the  roof  the  proper  giant. 
Other  poles  wei^  used  to  finish  up  the  frame-work.  Mean- 
while, my  friend  Marr  was  by  no  means  idle.  Taking  a 
sharp  hatchet,  he  climed  the  trunks  of  the  palm  trees  by 
means  of  dead  leafstems,  and  cut  off  the  great  green  fronds 
or  leaves ;  depriving  these  of  their  stems,  he  piled  them  up 
near  the  frame  of  the  hut.  Then  we  both  went  to  work,  and 
at  the  end  of  two  days,  had  a  roof  over  our  heads,  and  a  cosy 
place  to  sleep.  In  all  this  piece  of  architecture  there  was  not 
a  particle  of  iron,  everything  being  lashed  together  with  strips 
of  palm  leaves. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  97 

Full  of  peace  and  contentment,  we  moved  into  our  new 
quarters.  I  can  not  describe  the  exquisite  sense  of  comfort  I 
experienced  when,  after  a  day  of  brisk  fishing  and  hunting,  I 
lay  down  to  rest,  beneath  a  roof  of  fragrant  palm  leaves  ;  and 
what  music  the  rain  did  make,  as  it  pattered  overhead !  Nev- 
er more  will  I  see  such  days  of  unmixed  pleasure  ;  never  again 
can  I  pass  such  nights,  fanned  by  the  cool  breeze,  and  lulled 
to  sleep  by  the  murmur  of  the  rain.  But  this  isn't  business — 
this  straying  off  the  track — and  I  will  finish  the  description  o^ 
our  palmetto  hut,  by  saying  that  it  was  perfectly  water-tight, 
and  built  to  last  ten  years. 

Marr  and  I,  in  seeking  this  region  as  a  home,  were  filled 
with  the  idea  that  we  could  make  our  fortune  in  an  orange 
grove.  As  well  as  I  can  remember,  the  "orange  fever"  did 
not  fully  break  out  until  the  fall  of  1858,  but  the  few  who 
were  stricken  had  it  bad,  and  my  comrade  and  I  were  among 
the  earlier  victims.  Reports  of  enormous  returns  from  small 
investments  in  orange  groves  reached  us  from  time  to  time, 
and  fired  our  ambition  to  "go  and  do  likewise." 

In  one  respect,  we  succeeded  admirably.  The  spot  we 
selected  for  the  scene  of  our  operations,  was  one  which  left 
nothing  to  be  desired,  as  far  as  nature  went.  A  cool  spring  of 
water  lifted  its  crystal  waves  into  the  sunlight  within  easy 
reach  of  our  door  ;  Indian,  river,  with  its  untold  wealth  of  fish 
and  fowl,  spread  out  to  the  east  of  us,  and  we  had  only  to 
shoulder  a  gun  and  enter  the  hammock,  to  supply  our  table 
with  bear  or  turkey.  Deer  were  so  common  that  we  let  them 
go,  sometimes,  out  of  sheer  contempt.  We  cleared  about  an 
acre  in  the  hammock,  where  the  soil  was  blackest  and  deepest, 
and  grubbed  leisurely  along,  until  we  had  prepared  ground 
for  about  two  dozen  trees.  We  found  a  wild  grove  not  far 
away,  and  transplanted  a  few  of  them  where  we  thought  they 
would  d  o  the  most  good.  But  when  the  leaves  began  to  have 
that  rich,  golden  hue  which  the  ripe  fruit  possesses,  and  speed, 
ily  turned  into  so  many  dry,  withered  sticks,  we  gave  up,  in 
despair  of  ever  making  an  orange  grove.  We  planted  them 
among  a  tangle  of  roots,  and  in  taking  them  up,  chopped  off 
nearly  all  their  side-roots,  while  the  tap-roots  were  lopped  off 


98  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

without  mercy.  The  only  wonder  is,  that  they  lived  as  long 
as  they  did.  If  I  had  practised  a  little  less  sportsmanship 
then,  and  went  about  the  orange  business  in  the  right  way, 
and  entered  that  fine  tract  of  land,  I  would  be  worth,  to-day, 
fifty  thousand  dollars  more  than  I  am. 

Thus,  the  wmter  was  whiled  away,  and  spnng  came. 
Our  nearest  neighbor,  Captain  John  Houston,  lived  fifteen 
miles  away  to  the  north,  on  Elbow  Creek,  at  a  place  now 
called  Eau  Gallie.  But  when  we  got  our  supplies,  we  had  to 
take  a  boat  and  row  about  thirty  miles  southward,  to  Fort 
Capi-on,  where  Major  William  Russell  kept  a  little  grocery 
store.  The  Major  supplied  the  people  for  leagues  around, 
with  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  his  store  was  the  Mecca  of 
many  a  long  pilgrimage. 

In  the  month  of  May,  it  fell  to  my  lot,  to  take  such  a  jour- 
ney. I  entered  a  boat,  and,  taking  enough  dried  venison, 
onions  and  roasted  potatoes  along,  to  keep  me  a  live  for  three 
days,'  set  out  for  Fort  Capron.  The  first  night,  I  camped  in 
a  hammock,  near  the  river  side.  The  moon  was  just  rising, 
and  showed  up  everything  plainly.  I  was  intently  engaged 
in  picking  up  dry  sticks  to  make  a  fire,  when  I  looked  up  and 
was  startled  at  the  sight  of  a  bear  sitting  on  his  haunches, 
within  five  feet  of  me.  He  was  a  monster.  How  in  the 
world  it  was  that  I  came  so  near  the  bear  without  alarming 
him,  I  never  could  imagine.  I  groped  wildly  for  the  hatchet, 
and  if  it  had  been  found,  I  could  very  easily  have  brained  him 
on  the  spot.  Finding  that  the  hatchet  was  determined  to 
elude  my  grasp,  I  yelled  at  the  top  of  my  voice.  Such  a  jump 
as  that  bear  gave!  Talk  about  your  deer,  but  that  bear 
made  better  time  (and  more  noise)  than  a  runaway  team  of 
mules,  as  he  tore  through  the  hammock.  That  was  the  last 
of  the  bear  episode,  and  I  will  now  proceed  to  conclude  this 
chapter  by  the  recital  of  something  none  the  less  true,  but  a 
little  more  serious. 

One  day  in  early  June,  I  took  a  stroll  out  toward  the  head 
of  the  St.  Sebastian,  which  was  not  more  than  two  miles  away. 
I  was  looking  for  bee-trees,  and  entered  a  scope  of  country 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  99 

that  contained  but  little  water.  It  was  Friday — unlucky  day ! 
— and  I  encountered  something  that  afternoon,  which  came 
near  cutting  short  my  thread  of  existence. 

The  weather  was  warm,  and  I  became  very  thirsty.  No 
water  appeared  to  exist  in  that  region  at  all,  but  as  I  was  hur- 
rying back  home,  my  eye  fell  on  a  green,  grassy  spot,  off  to 
the  right,  and  upon  closer  inspection,  it  turned  out  to  be  a 
small  dried-up  pond,  covered  with  a  rank  growth  of  maiden- 
cane,  and  a  clump  of  willow  trees  in  the  centre.  Very  natur- 
ally, the  first  thing  I  thought  of  was  water,  and  in  I  walked.  I 
wore  nothing  on  my  feet  but  a  pair  of  moccasins,  and  should 
have  known  better.  I  had  nearly  reached  the  clump  of  wil- 
lows, when  a  blow  was  struck  on  my  foot,  which  nearly 
knocked  me  down.  I  hastily  parted  the  grass,  in  order  to  get 
a  view  of  the  alligator — for  I  felt  sure  nothing  else  co  uld  have 
given  such  a  blow — and  was  horrified  to  catch  a  glimpse  of  a 
stump-tailed  cotton-mouth  snake  of  immense  size.  After  de- 
livering the  blow,  he  wriggled  off  through  the  maiden-cane  so 
quickly  that  I  could  not  kill  him,  but  I  saw  enough  to  con- 
vince me  that  he  was  not  less  than  live  inches  in  diameter,  and 
a  little  over  four  feet  long.  These  hideous  serpents  are  fully 
as  much  dreaded  as  the  rattlesnake,  although  their  poison 
does  not  act  so  quickly.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation,  I 
rushed  out  of  the  grass,  and  ran  toward  home  with  all  my 
strength.  There  was  a  sensation  like  .  a  piece  of  red-hot  iron 
clinging  to  my  toes,  where  the  fangs  had  struck.  At  every 
step,  the  pain  increased,  and  it  seemed  as  if  a  thousand  hot 
needles  were  piercing  my  body.  Worse  than  all,  my  leg  be- 
came so  stiff  and  badly  swollen  that  I  could  not  run  any  more, 
and  began  to  think  that  death  would  come  to  me  in  the  woods, 
with  no  help  nigh.  Three  times  I  staggered  and  fell,  and 
each  time  it  was  more  difficult  to  regain  my  feet.  With  all 
my  power,  I  continued  to  cry  for  help,  but  my  companion  did 
not  hear  me  until  I  had  reached  the  border  of  the  clearing. 
He  ran  out  and  half  carried  me  to  the  house. 

The  poor  fellow  was  almost  frantic,  and  knew  not  what 
to  do.  But  like  a  flash  of  light  into  the  darkness  of  the  sit- 
uation, came  the  recollection  of  something  I  had  heard  Dr. 


100  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

Reid,  of  Savannah,  say  about  his  method  of  curing  snake- 
bites. He  made  a  poultice  of  raw  onions,  beaten  up  fine, 
and  applied  to  the  wound.  I  barely  succeeded  in  telling 
this  to  Ed.  Marr,  when  I  went  into  delirium,  and  did  not  re- 
gain consciousness  until  next  day,  when  I  was  surprised  to  see 
the  injured  limb  almost  as  large  as  my  body.  Marr  was  bend- 
ing over  me,  and  applying  a  fresh  poultice.  Faithful  fellow! 
he  never  closed  his  eyes  once  during  the  night,  and  had  re- 
newed the  poultice  every  half  hour.  Fortunately,  we  had 
raised  a  good  crop  of  onions,  and  I  know  that  they  saved  my 
life. 

The  swelling  subsided  very  gradually,  and  it  was  two 
weeks  before  I  regained  the  use  of  my  limbs.  Whisky  is  con- 
sidered the  sovereign  remedy  for  snake-bites,  but  there  was 
not  a  drop  of  it  within  a  hundred  miles  of  us,  and  there  is  no 
doubt  that  raw  onions,  alone,  applied  in  the  manner  men- 
tioned, will  cure  any  snake-bite,  if  used  in  time. 

We  stayed  there  until  the  war  broke  out  between  the 
States,  when  I  left  for  St.  Augustine,  to  join  the  army.  Ed. 
Marr  remained  at  th^  hut,  and  the  next  time  I  heard  from  him, 
he  had  gone  on  that  long,  swift  journey  we  all  must  take, 
sooner  or  later.  Among  all  the  dear,  departed  friends,  there 
is  none  who  holds  a  dearer  place  in  my  memory,  than  this,  my 
companion  of  the  olden  time. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  101 


CHAPTER  VII. 

INTRODUCING      A     GENTLEMAN   BY   THE    NAME    OF    "ALLIGATOR 
FERGUSON." SOME    OLD-TIME    HEROES. 

It  is  strange  how  men  will  get  names  fastened  on  them. 
By  some  untoward  circumstance,  the  unfortunate  wight  gets 
a  ridiculous  soubriquet  attached  to  his  name,  which,  like  a 
deep  scar,  lasts  as  long  as  the  man  lives.  I  once  knew  a  man 
who,  by  some  accident,  got  his  eye  injured ;  the  first  thing  he 
knew,  everybody  was  calling  hira  "Old  Frog-eyed  Bill,"  and 
another  acquaintance  of  mine  was  christened  "Horse-leg 
Jim,"  on  account  of  some  slight  obliquity  in  his  make-up. 
Both  men  were  known  only  by  these  names.  "Alligator  Fer~ 
guson"  and  "Alligator  Piatt"  wore  their  nicknames  into  the 
grave.  It  starts,  sometimes,  from  something  a  pe'rson  has 
said  or  done,  and  often  from  some  personal  peculiarity. 
Here  in  Florida,  a  man  wins  a  name  by  his  exploits.  (I  am 
not  dealing,  now,  with  military  nomenclature  ;  for  of  course, 
majors,  generals,  lieutenants  and  commodores  are  as  plentiful 
as  mosquitoes,  and  a  corporal  is  seen  occasionally.)  I  am 
speaking  of  such  heroes  as  Alligator  Ferguson  and  Alligator 
Piatt,  whose  fame  shall  never  fade  from  the  minds  of  those 
who  were  witnesses  of  the  great  havoc  made  by  these  men 
among  the  alligators,  in  good  old  days  gone  by.  Not  from 
any  fancied  resemblance  to  the  saurian  tribe,  nor  from  any 
amphibious  indination,  were  these  gentlemen  graced  with 
the  names  above  mentioned.  The  titles  were  fairly  and 
honorably  won,  and  as  substantial  and  unfading  as  any  you 
ever  heard  of. 


102  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA. 

Alligator  Ferguson  didn't  confine  his  operations  any  par- 
ticular portion  of  South  Florida;  from  Tampa  to  Biscayne 
Bay,  and  from  the  saw-grass  fields  of  Lake  Apopka  to  the 
shores  of  Okeechobee,  he  created  consternation  among  the 
scaly  denizens  of  the  marshes,  and  I  think  he  could  lay  claim 
to  having  killed  more  alligators  than  any  other  man  living. 
He  made  his  bed  among  them,  ate  among  them,  spent  many 
months  among  them,  as  his  only  companions,  and  it  is  prob- 
able that  he  hardly  ever  thought  or  talked  of  anything  but  al- 
ligators. The  gigantic  snarl  s  and  growls  with  which  they 
communed  together  in  early  spring,  was  the  only  music 
which  charmed  his  ears.  At  that  time  of  the  year,  he  knew 
they  could  be  found  in  pairs,  and  were  more  easily  captured. 
He  stayed  among  them  so  long  that  he  became,  as  some  peo- 
ple said,  almost  amphibious.  One  man  thought  Ferguson's 
teeth  were  growing  longer,  and  another,  with  an  exception- 
ally keen  pair  of  eyes,  was  certain  that  the  great  hunter's  skin 
was  growing  rough  and  hard,  in  patches,  preparatory  to 
changing  into  scales.  Fergjison  didn't  care  a  cent  what  they 
said  or  thought  about  him,  so  long  as  he  could  kill  big  alliga- 
tors, and  sell  their  teeth. 

When  I  first  saw  him,  in  1880,  he  had  given  up  the  alli- 
gator business,  and  comoxenced  carrying  fruit  from  the  Ten 
Thousand  Islands  to  Tampa..  He  made  quite  a  snug  sum 
from  the  teeth  of  the  'gators  he  had  killed,  and  became  an  ex- 
pert at  the  business.  Teeth  were  worth  from  four  to  five 
dollars  per  pound,  and  sometimes  he  gathered  four  and  five 
pounds  a  week.  He  never  cared  anything  for  the  hides,  al- 
though they  were  worth  more  than  the  teeth.  He  said  the 
alligators  were  more  plentiful  on  Fish-eating  Creek,  but  that 
their  teeth  were  very  much  inferior  to  those  from  other  places. 
On  the  Gulf  Coast,  he  said,  was  the  best  place  for  real  good 
teeth,  and  professed  a  preference  for  salt-water  alligators. 
Those  that  live  in  salt  water,  are  of  stouter  build,  and  the  head 
is  larger  in  proportionto  the  body,  than  that  of  the  fresh  wa- 
ter species.  Some  people  claim  that  they  are  more  ferocious 
than  the  others,  but  Ferguson  didn't  seem  to  think  so. 

Ferguson  was    quite    an   expert   at    decoying   alligators 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  103 

within  range  of  his  gun.  He  had  a  way  of  barking,  like  a 
small  dog,  and  when  he  commenced  that,  it  was  not  long  be- 
fore you  could  see  their  huge  snouts  sticking  out  of  the  water. 
Another  way,  was  to  take  a  little  dog,  or  pig,  in  his  arms, 
and  twist  its  tail,  so  that  it  would  yell,  and  attract  the 
alligators.  A  screaming  pig  will  excite  the  interest  and  atten- 
tion of  any  alligator,  no  matter  how  indolent  or  phlegmatic. 
Old  Jimmie  Yates  said  that  he  was  hunting  one  spring  morn- 
ing near  Tohopekaliga,  and  had  brought  a  young,  fine-blooded 
dog  with  him.  Coming  to  a  deep,  round  pool,  which  formed 
a  small  bay  in  the  lake,  he  commenced  looking  out  for  alliga- 
tors, which  he  knew  were  to  be  found  in  that  place  in  laige 
quantities.  The  dog  was  a  little  too  eager  for  the  sport,  and 
jumped  into  the  water.  Jimmie  said  he  tried  to  call  him  back, 
but  the  dog  was  deaf  to  all  remonstrance.  When  he  had 
reached  the  middle  of  the  pool,  he  began  howling  and  strug- 
gling, and  looked  back  appealingly  to  his  master  for  help.  In 
a  few  moments  the  dog  disappeared  and  was  seen  no  more. 
■'Hit  riled  me  awfully  to  see  my  purp  gobbled  down  that-a- 
way,"  said  old  Jimmie,  "and  I  laid  for  that 'gator.  I  wouldn't 
a-took  the  purtiest  fifty  dollar  bill  you  ever  saw,  for  that  dog, 
and  I  jest  says  to  myself,  I  am  goin'  to  make  them  'gators 
hop.  And  I  did  make  'em  hop.  I  takes  my  leetlest  purp, 
and  I  wrings  and  twists  his  tail  untwel  he  hollers  like  as  if  he 
was  a-bein'  killed,  and  first  thing  I  knowed,  out  popped  the 
head  of  a  whoppin'  big  'gator.  Then  another  one  of  the  big 
black  devils  poked  his  sassy  snoot  out'n  the  water,  and  hit 
warn't  no  time  'fore  the  pond  was  teetotally  covered  with 'em. 
I  never  seen  so  many  'gators  in  the  known  world !  I  shot  and 
shot  and  shot,  untwel  I  was  bodaciously  out  of  breath,  but  I 
made  them  devils  sweat.  They  eat  up  my  purp  (and  I  wouldn't 
a-took  a  brand-new  fifty  dollar  bill  for  him,)  but  I  everlast- 
in'ly  peppered  'em  for  it." 

It  would  hardly  do  to  dwell  very  long  on  this  subject, 
without  saying  something  about  "Alligator  Piatt,"  another 
hero  of  the  olden  time,  whose  deeds  were  embalmed  in  the 
lore  of  South  Florida.  Piatt  was  not  such  a  great  hunter  as 
Ferguson,  but  what  he   did,  was  done  quickly  and  well,  and 


lOi  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

there  was  some  originality  about  his  exploits.  Joshua  Creek 
is  a  branch  of  Pease,  and  flows  near  the  town  of  Pine  Level, 
in  Manatee  county.  This  creek  was  fairly  alive  with  alliga- 
tors, and  here  it  was  that  Alligator  Piatt  exerted  his  curious 
talents  to  the  fullest  extent.  Creeping  along  under  the  pal- 
mettoes,  to  the  bank  of  the  creek,  he  peered  into  the  amber- 
colored  depths,  and  waited  for  a  victim.  When  a  rippling, 
swirling  spot  on  the  water  betokened  the  presence  of  an  alli- 
gator, he  leaned  over,  and  poised  himself.  The  gator  cau- 
tiously poked  his  snout,  and  then  his  entire  head  above  the 
water,  and  looked  around  to  see  if  an  enemy  was  in  sight. 
Perceiving  no  danger,  he  leisurely  floated  along  on  the  sur- 
face, until  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  Piatt's  red,  excited  face, 
and  hurriedly  proceeded  to  sink  out  of  sight.  Too  late.  Piatt 
was  not  going  to  let  his  glory  as  a  hunter  become  overcast  by 
any  such  a  slip  as  that.  He  plunged  into  the  water,  and  dived 
after  the  huge  reptile.  Those  who  stood  by,  anxiously  awaited 
the  reappearance  of  the  man,  and  the  immense  whirls  and 
swirls  in  the  water  where  he  went  down,  showed  that  he  was 
quite  busy  below.  In  a  very  few  moments,  Piatt  reappeared, 
in  triumph,  astride  of  the  alligator,  which  he  rode  to  the  shore, 
like  a  horse.  When  once  he  got  his  thumbs  into  the  alligators 
eyes,  it  was  easily  managed,  and  although  it  was  nearly 
twelve  feet  long,  no  lamb  could  have  been  more  gentle.  Piatt 
said  he  .could  manage  the  very  biggest  of  them  this  way,  and 
he  advised  everybody  to  pursue  that  plan,  when  attacked  by 
an  alligator. 

Ned  Beasley  was  another  fellow  who  earned  considerable 
reputation  by  his  affection  for  alligators.  It  was  told,  for  an 
^  actual  fact,  that  Beasley  was  more  alligator  than  human,  and 
that  he  was  so  near  cannibal  in  his  tastes,  that  he  frequently 
put  up  a  barrel  or  two  of  'gator  meat,  to  be  used  in  his  house 
during  the  winter.  He  grew  real  fat  and  healthy,  from  in- 
dulging in  this  questionable  diet,  and  often  declared  that  no 
earthly  delicacy  could  tempt  him  from  a  dish  of  'gator  stew. 
His  chickens  were  fed  on  it,  and  grew  to  unheard-of  propor- 
tions. The  hogs  and  dogs,  however,  let  it  studiously  alone. 
The  chickens  would  congregate  around  the  kettle  where  the 
oil  was  being  ''rendered  out,"  and  wait   for  bits  of  the  meat, 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELORIDA.  105 

which  Beasley  threw  to  them,  after  the  oil  had  been  extracted. 
And  it  was  laughable  to  see  those  chickens  (so  it  was 
said)  as  they  staggered  off  into  some  shade  to  rest  and  sleep. 

Somebody  asked  Beasley,  how  he  came  to  be  so  fond  of 
alligator  meat.  "Well,"  he  replied,  "I'll  tell  you  how  it 
come  about,  and  mebbe  you  won't  believe  it,  and  mebbe  I 
don't  keer,  whutheryou  believe  it  or  not."  With  this  ornate 
introduction,  he  proceeded  to  tell  bow  and  where  he  fell  in 
love  with  'gator  meat. 

"Me  and  my  ole  dad  was  a  workm'  on  a  boat  one  time, 
and  there  was  a  whole  lot  of  us  fellers  workin'  together. 
There  used  to  be  a  ole  'ummern  as  would  come  'round  every 
mornin'  and  sell  fried  fish  to  us,  for  breakfast.  Gosh,  but 
didn't  them  there  fish  go  good !  'Peared  like  they  jist  slipped 
down  by  theirselves.  Finerly,  the  ole  'ummern  brung  a  fish 
anmnd  one  mornin',  that  beat  anything  I  ever  hearn  tell  of. 
I  never  seed  sich  a  fish  in  the  known  world !  She  had  it  fried 
in  meal  and  pepper,  and  it  was  so  big  that  she  had  it  strapped 
on  a  piece  of  fence-rail,  so  she  could  lug  it  on  her  shoulder. 
V7hen  we  was  a-eatin  of  it,  we  axed  the  ole  ci'itter  whur  she 
cotch  it,  and  she  tole  us  hit  was  cotch  down  on  the  Ellifiars," 
(the  Alafia  river)  "and  when  we  axed  her  what  breed  offish  it 
was,  she  said  it  was  somethin'  like  a  trout,  only  hit  eat  a  heap 
better.  And  hit  shore  did  go  mighty  good.  Dad  'lowed  he 
never  had,  in  all  his  born  days,  seen  a  fish  with  sich  a  big 
back-bone.  (You  see,  that  'ere  fish's  back-bone  was  every  bit 
as  big  as  my  arm.)  And  he  said  hit  was  mighty  cur'ous  that 
there  wan't  no  ribs,  nor  no  little  bones  in  it,  and  he'd  be 
blowed  if  he  seed  any  sense  in  the  thing,  nohow,  and  he  said 
he  wan't  a-gwine  to  s waller  nary  another  bite,  untwel  he 
knowed  what  he  was  a-eatin.  (After  all  the  meat  he'd  gob- 
bled down!)  Finerly,  the  ole  witch  tole  us  we'd  been 
a-eatin'  'gator-tail  for  breakfast !  You  jist  orter  a-seed  them 
there  fellers  makin'  for  the  edge  of  the  boat,  with  their  fingers 
in  their  throats,  a-strainin'  and  a-groanin'  like  as  if  they  was 
distracted.  But  all  their  cuttin'  up  didn't  do  no  good  ;  the 
'gator  was  down,  and  hit  was  a-gwine  to  stay  down.  They 
couldn't  throw  it  up  to  save  their  lives.     Dad  was  for  givin' 


106  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

the  ole  'ummern  a  good  duckin',  but  I  wouldn't  have  no  sich 
doin's;  'sides,  you  see  I  kinder  liked  the  truck,  anyway,  and 
dad  had  already  said  he'd  seen  a  heap  wuss  meat  in  his  time. 
Dad  said  he  might  a-^«owefl?  hit  wan' t  fitten  to  eat,  by  hit's 
not  havin'  no  ribs,  nor  no  bones,  but  a  whalin'  big  back-bone. 
The  ole  'ummern  never  come  foolin'  around  our  boat  no 
more,  and  even  now,  dad  hain't  got  no  use  for  no  kind  of 
fish." 

Beasley  delighted  in  palming  off  alligator  meat  on  his 
guests,  telling  them  it  was  corned  beef,  "jist  in  from  Fulton 
Market."  After  the  feast  was  over,  it  was  very  funny  to  him, 
to  see  the  expression  on  the  men's  faces,  vthen  he  told  them 
what  they  had  been  eating. 

I  have  no  idea  what  Ferguson  is  doing  now,  and  I  can 
not  say  whether  Piatt  and  Beasley  are  alive  yet,  or  not. 
But  Alligator  Ferguson,  Alligator  Piatt  and  "ditto,"  Beasley 
will  always  remain  as  monuments  of  example  to  those  to 
whom  dog  and  gun  are  sacred.  "Uncle"  Jimmie  Yates  is 
enjoying  a  hearty  old  age,  surrounded  by  children  and  grand- 
children. If  you  were  to  pay  Jimmie  a  visit,  he  would  take 
you  out  in  his  grove  and  insist  on  your  feasting  on  some 
of  his  oranges.  Then  he  would  probably  give  you  a  greater 
treat  than  all — one  of  his  Indian  stories.  A  written  account 
or  these  things  interests  some  people,  but  it  is  iucomparably 
better  to  hear  it  from  the  lips  of  the  old  heroes  who  went 
through  it  all.  And  nobody  can  be  more  entertaining  than 
Uncle  Jimmie.  Should  you  ever  visit  Kissimmee,  you  would 
do  well  to  call  on  him. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  107 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

SOME    OF  THE  CURIOUS  AND  INTERESTING    INHABITANTS    OF  THE 
INDIAN   RIVER   REGION. 

If,  in  any  of  these  statements,  you  think  I  have  painted 
"things  that  are  not,  as  though  they  were,"  and  given  to 
"airy  nothings  a  local  habitation  and  a  name,"  why,  of 
course,  you  have  a  right  to  investigate.  But  I  will  again  say 
that  I  have  started  out  to  tell  the  truth,  (regardless  of  the  dif- 
ficulties and  temptations  involved,)  for,  if  my  conscience 
should  wear  out,  there  would  be  plenty  of  old  stagers  around 
the  State,  who  would  be  ready  to  let  me  (and  others)  know, 
if  I  strayed  from  the  path  of  veracity.  Now,  with  this  ex- 
planation, here  goes. 

Didn't  I  promise  a  description  of  the  celebrated  stingaree? 
Nobody  that  has  ever  been  to  Indian  river,  is  considered 
up  with  the  times,  unless  he  has  seen  this  king  of  aquatic 
nuisances.  We  will,  in  imagination  (and  with  your  consent), 
translate  you  from  your  cosy  home,  to  the  coquina  banks  of 
Indian  river.  The  time  of  the  year  is  July — a  time  when 
you  can  get  a  good  idea  of  mid-summer  life  in  this  region. 
Now  you  make  a  discovery  ;  there  are  mosquitoes !  You  ask 
me  why  I  didn't  mention  that  fact  before ;  and  I  comfort  you 
by  the  explanation  that  I  thought  it  would  be  a  source  of  more 
satisfaction  to  both  of  us,  if  I  left  you  to  make  the  discovery 
yourself.  But,  after  all,  there  are  not  so  many  of  the  little 
vampires,  as  you  think ;  the  shrill  cry  and  bold  advances  of 
the  few  that  encircle  your  head,  give  you  the  impression  that 
the  country  is  alive  with  them.     But  even  if    that  were  the 


108  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

case,  there  are  so  many  other  things  of  beauty,  that  you  will 
forget  the  little  minne  singers.  If  we  go  out  yonder  on  the 
bosom  of  the  river,  I  can  show  you  something  new,  that  for 
pure,  unadultered  cussedness  and  curiosity,  is  unexcelled. 

If  I  were  a  poet  I  would  try  to  make  you  forget  the  mos- 
quitoes, by  raving  about  the  sunset;  how  the  reflections  of 
the  palms  in  the  painted  waters  are  broken  up  and  twisted 
into  a  million  augers  |and  corkscrews,  by  the  night  breeze 
that  is  springing  up  ;  and  would  point  to  the  whippoorwill,  or 
bull-bat,  sweep  downward  almost  to  the  water,  with  a  croak 
that  is  echoed  down  the  river.  But  we  are  on  the  lookout  for 
stingai"ees,  and  must  give  them  our  undivided  attention.  The 
water  beneath  us  is  clear,  and  we  can  see  the  curious  creatures 
crawling  and  walking  on  the  bottom  ;  we  see  horse-shoe  crabs, 
sea-porcupines,  tarpons,  saw-fish,  sharks,  and  many  other 
things  very  distinctly,  and  they  don't  seem  to  be  very  much 
afraid  of  us.  Hold !  don't  get  excited,  that  isn't  a  stingaree, 
that's  only  a  poor,  harmless  "bishop;"  he  looks  ugly  enough, 
with  his  tawney  hide,  with  white  spots  on  him,  and  his  eyes 
are  both  on  the  top  of  his  head,  about  as  close  as  they  can  be, 
and  he  looks  like  he  wanted  to  raise  a  row  with  somebody, 
but  he  won't, hurt  you.  Now  if  you  want  to  see  a  stingaree; 
look  right  ahead.  You  can't  see  him  very  well,  he  darts  about 
so,  actively ;  so  when  he  is  speared  and  brought  into  the  boat, 
he  serves  our  purposes  better.  This  is  a  small  specimen — 
only  three  feet  long. 

The  body,  in  such  a  specimen,  is  about  one  foot  across, 
and  nearly  round.  It  is  slate-colored,  and  three  inches  through 
in  the  deepest  part.  On  each  side,  it  slopes  to  a  thin  edge,  a 
flapping  motion  of  which  impels  them  forward.  The  tail  is 
round,  an  inch  in  diameter,  tapering  to  the  size  of  a  lead  pen- 
cil, and  has  a  rough,  gristly  surface.  The  eyes  are  situated 
about  three  inches  from  the  nose,  and  are  close  together,  small 
and  wicked-looking.  Its  mouth  is  underneath  the  front  part 
of  the  body,  and  it  don't  have  any  teeth  worth  speaking  of. 
But  the  peculiarity  which  gives  the  stingaree  such  importance, 
is  the  sting.  It  ornaments  that  part  of  the  back,  where  the 
tail  joins  the   body,  is  hard  and   bony,  tapering  to  a  very  fine 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  109 

point,  and  is  covered  with  sliarp  fibres,  which  point  down- 
ward, so  that  it  is  very  difficult  to  extract  from  a  wound.  A 
sting  on  such  a  specimen  is  four  inches  long,  and  it  is  able  to 
inflict  a  very  painful  wound,  which  is  a  long  time  in  healing. 
An  irritating  substance,  secreted  by  this  barb,  which,  while 
never  fatal,  (as  far  as  I  know)  is  often  productive  of  evil  re- 
sults, such  as  marasmus  and  chronic  ulcers. 

You  can  wade  about  among  them,  where  they  are  swarm- 
ing as  thick  as  leaves  in  autumn,  but  they  will  never  try  to" 
harm  you,  if  you  don't  step  on  them,  for  they  are  not  aggres 
sive. 

The  whipparee  is  very  much  like  the  stingaree.  The  only 
difference  is  that  the  tail  is  somewhat  longer,  and  the  sting  is 
lacking.  The  tail  is  very  tough  and  pliable,  and  is  often  used 
as  a  buggy  whip,  and  as  such,  will  stand  many  years  of  hard 
service.  I  imagine  that  you  shiver,  when  I  remark  that  these 
hideous  creatures  are  very  often  eaten.  No,  the  people  don't 
eat  the  whole  animal ;  the  thin  edges  of  the  body — commonly 
called  "wings" — are  the  only  parts  that  are  considered  fit  to 
eat.  I  sampled  this  luxury  once,  and  although  I  managed  to 
survive  it,  I  wasn't  troubled  with  any  ambition  to  try  it  again. 
It  tasted  a  little  weak  and  fishy,  and  after  indulging  in  a  dish 
of  stingaree,  my  digestive  apparatus  was  afflicted  with  a  pe- 
culiar "ever-present  goneness,"  neither  to  be  imagined  or  de- 
scribed. Where  there  is  such  a  boundless  wealth  of  fish  and 
fowl  that  are  really  delicious  eating,  I  would  advise  no  one  to 
bother  with  stingarees.  They  should  be  the  dernier  ressort — 
the  last  dodge  of  a  starving  hound.  With  this,  I  drop  the 
stingaree  subject,  as  one  not  pleasant  to  handle. 

The  sharks  of  Indian  river  are  not  very  dangerous,  and 
if  a  man  falls  overboard,  I  don't  think  he  need  fear  that  he 
will  make  a  Jonah  of  himself.  The  shark  of  Indian  river, 
according  to  the  account  of  persons  who  ought  to  know,  does 
not  possess  the  dignity  of  the  white  shark  which  follows  in  the 
wake  of  ships,  and  has  to  turn  on  its  back  before  it  can  bite. 
They  say  that  the  Indian  river  shark  has  a  mean  way  of  slip- 
ping up  behind  a  man   that   is  wading,  and  nipping  as  big  a 


110  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  PLOEIDA.     . 

piece  as  he  can  out  of  the  calf  of  the  man's  leg,  generally 
disappearing  with  his  prize  before  the  surprised  and  startled 
individual  can  make  any  remonstrance.  I  hardly  credit  this, 
but  I  have  heard  some  pretty  well  founded  stories  of  men 
having  been  killed  and  eaten  by  the  sharks  in  Indian  River  In- 
let. But  don't  be  scared,  for  if  you  will  only  be  half-way 
careful,  you  will  never  die  by  a  shark. 

Titled  peers  and  noblemen,  from  all  parts  of  Europe, 
were  once  as  plentiful  on  Indian  river  as  you  please,  but 
either  on  account  of  the  disappearance  of  game,  or  a  compli- 
cation of  interesting  affairs  at  home,  they  are  not  so  common 
nowadays  in  that  region.  The  pink  curlew,  or  roseate  spoon- 
bill, is  not  esteemed  at  all  as  an  article  of  food,  but  its  splen- 
did plumage  causes  it  to  be  an  object  of  great  value  to  the 
hunter.  A  roseate  spoonbill,  captured  alive,  sometimes  sells 
for  a  hundred  dollars.  Snowy  egrets,  blue  herons,  and  ducks 
of  several  kinds,  were  once  to  be  found  here  "world  without 
end."  Anything  richer  and  more  succulent,  in  the  line  of 
game,  than  the  young  teals,  widgeons  and  grease-ball  ducks, 
one  cannot  well  imaghie.  If  they  bad  not  .been  so  wantonly 
destroj^ed,  regardless  of  breeding  seasons  and  everything  else, 
it  would  still  be  a  sportsman's  paradise  ;  as  it  now  is,  a  man 
can  find  a  good  deal  of  sport,  but  in  a  great  measure,  the 
glory  of  former  days  has  departed.  There  are  still  plenty  of 
water  turkeys,  purple  gallinules  and  blue  herons.  But  the 
"Johnnie  gogglin"  is  worthy  of  a  little  special  mention.  This 
great  bird,  which  is  also  called  the  "whooper,"  stands,  when 
full  grown,  nearly  five  feet  high,  and  when  it  takes  its  flight 
through  the  pine  woods,  greeting  the  rising  sun  with  a  clear, 
trilling  cry  that  resounds  through  the  still  morning  air,  it  will 
always  command  the  attention  of  the  hunter.  The  flesh  of 
the  gogglin  is  very  much  like  venison.  The  black-winged 
curlew,  or  "flint-head,"  whose  bills  are  so  ponderous  that 
they  cannot  hold  their  heads  erect,  and  many  other  interest- 
ing things  might  be  described,  but  it  would  take  too  long. 

The  mullet  that  are  caught  hei'e,  in  the  middle  of 
September,  are  the  fattest  fish  I  ever  saw.  I  have  seen  rolls 
of  fat  fully  an  inch  thick  in  many  of  these  fish.     I  was  once 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  Ill 

present  when  a  haul  was  made,  on  a  seine  in  Indian  river, 
where  ten  men  found  it  impossible  to  raise  it.  After  rais- 
ing the  foot-line  and  letting  out  about  fifty  barrels  of  the 
mullet,  the  rest  were  secured.  Words  cannot  describe  the 
delicious  tenderness  of  these  fish  when  first  caught.  But  the 
highest  luxury,  in  the  way  of  an  eatable,  that  I  know  of, 
is  a  pompano.  This  fish  is  by  no  means  common,  and,  al- 
though the  largest  specimens  hardly  ever  measure  more 
than  twelve  inches  in  length,  they  sell  for  no  less  than 
twenty-five  cents  apiece,  and  command  a  ready  sale  at  that 
price.  They  are  more  plentiful  on  the  west  coast  than  the  east. 
Then  we  have  the  drum,  that  grunts  like  a  hog ;  the  grouper, 
the  red-snapper,  and  the  saw-fish,  which  often  attains  a  length 
of  eighteen  feet.  These  great  fish  sometimes  get  entangled 
in  the  turtle-nets,  and  at  such  times,  are  dangerous  to  ap- 
pi-oach.  I  have  seen  the  fishermen  cautiously  come  up 
alongside  of  the  saw-fish,  in  a  boat,  and,  with  a  blow  of  a 
heavy,  sharp  ax,  sever  the  long,  serrate  snout,  cutting  it  off 
near  the  ej^es.  Of  course,  the  fish  could  not  live  long,  af- 
ter svich  treatment. 

I  will  conclude  this  chapter  by  telling  a  story  I  once 
heard,  on  James  Russell,  who  is  still  holding  forth  on  In- 
dian river,  I  believe  at  Fort  Capron.  Now,  it  was  alleged 
that  Jim  and  three  others  went  out  into  a  dry  willow 
marsh,  whei'e  a  great  many  alligator-holes  were  to  be  found. 
(In  dry  seasons,  these  holes  have  no  water  in  them,"  and 
are  generally  tenanted  by  alligators  of  medium  size. 
There  are  more  'of  these  "dry-holes"  around  Southport  than 
any  other  place  I  ever  saw.)  Jim  carried  a  rope  with  him, 
but  the  most  persistent  questioning  failed  to  reveal  his  pur- 
pose in  carrying  it,  until  the  field  of  future  conflict  was 
reached.  The  hole  was  two  feet  across,  and  when  Jim 
slapped  the  side  of  the  cavity,  a  loud  hissing,  coming  out  of 
the  dai'k  depths,  told  that  there  was  a  'gator  down  there. 
Jim  Russell  fastened  one  end  of  the  rope  around  his  waist, 
and  in  tones  that  could  not  be  misunderstood,  commanded 
the  men  to  hold  the  other  end,  while  he  descended  and  laid 
hold  on  the  reptile.  "And,"  he  added,  "when  I  say  'haul 
away,'  you   haul."       So  saying,  he  crawled    into  the  hole. 


112  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOKIDA. 

Louder  and  fiercer  became  the  hissing,  and  a  churning  sound 
betokened  the  alligator's  efforts  to  hide  himself  from  the 
enemy.  Jim's  boots  disappeared  into  the  darkness,  and  soon 
a  faint,  smothered  "Haul  away!"  told  that  Mr.  Russell  had 
secured  his  prize,  and  desired  a  whiff  of  fresh  air.  The  al- 
ligator was  evidently  in  close  quarters,  and  the  musk  of  his 
anger,  rising  from  the  hole,  mingled  with  a  murmur  of  cuss- 
words,  told  that  the  struggle  was  nearing  a  crisis.  The  men 
pulled  until  they  "saw  stars,"  and  at  last  they  brought  the 
weary,  panting  pair  to  the  surface.  Jim  was  muddy,  and  the 
rope  had  pinched  him  in  the  waist  considerably,  but  he  had 
his  alligator. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  113 


CHAPTER  IX, 

A  FEW    WORDS  ABOUT    PHELPS,   THE    KING    OF    BEAR-HUNTERS, 
AND  HIS  INTERESTING    COMPANIONS. 

If  ever  a  man  deserved  the  surname  of  Nimrod,  it  was 
that  man  Phelps.  His  very  soul  seemed  to  leap  within  him, 
at  the  thought  or  suggestion  of  a  chase  after  big  game  ;  bear 
was  his  favorite  game.  He  had  roamed  with  Fremont  over 
the  Rocky  mountains,  and  caused  countless  grizzlies  to  tum- 
ble down  the  canyons  in  a  death  struggle  ;  even  the  mountain 
€agle,  wheeling  around  his  eyrie  among  the  beetling  crags, 
and  looking  down  "a  thousand  fathoms'  depth  of  neter  air," 
was  not  safe  from  his  rifle,  for  his  climbing  powers  were  equal 
to  his  marksmanship.  But  evidently,  the  transition  from  the 
ragged  cliffs  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  to  the  quiescent  lakes 
and  level  stretches  of  Florida  hammock  and  pine  woods  did 
not  betoken  a  wane  in  his  ambition  as  a  sportsman.  He 
found  the  alligator  a  rather  cowardly  citizen,  and  the  bear  of 
the  Indian  river  hammocks  was  tame  indeed  when  compared 
with  the  grizzly,  but  its  flesh  was  better,  and  in  eating  it,  he 
grew  so  robust  and  jolly  that  he  never  looked  back  on  the  old 
scenes  with  regret. 

I  met  him  in  1854,  about  the  time  his  fame  began  to 
spread  in  the  Indian  River  region.  In  those  days,  you  could 
hardly  leave  your  house  for  ten  minutes,  without  encountering 
a  deer  or  bear.  The  old  cow-hunters  of  the  surrounding 
country  considered  themselves  "tip-top"  at  bear-slaying,  but 
they  all  acknowledged  the  superiority  of  Phelps.  They  told 
some  great  stores  of  his  extraordinary  skill  in  that  line  ;  said 
that  he  could  take  aim  and  kill  a  bear  a  hundred  yards  distant. 


114  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

simiDly  by  sound,  the  darkest  night  that  ever  came,  and  some 
were  ready  to  swear  that  he  was  in  the  habit  of  following 
trails  by  scent,  as  well  as  any  of  his  dogs.  Everybody  knew 
or  felt  that  he  was  something  great,  and  I,  among  others,  was 
anxious  to  make  his  acquaintance. 

We  came  upon  him  in  a  hammock  one  day,  surrounded 
by  his  dogs,  and  eating  bear  meat.  The  dogs  looked  hun- 
grily at  us,  and  beat  their  tails  on  the  ground,  but  a  word 
from  their  master  appeased  them.  (They  were  fearful 
beasts.)  Phelps  came  forward  and  invited  us  to  the  feast; 
an  offer  which  was  accepted  with  gratitude,  if  not  with  eti- 
quette. Taking  our  seats  on  the  mossy  trunk  of  a  fallen  live 
oak,  and  seizing  each  a  bone,  draped  in  fat,  tender  flesh,  we 
made  a  most  hearty  meal,  a  la  cracaire.  Our  host  was  glad 
to  have  met  us  ;  his  eyes  lighted  up,  and  he  looked  gleeful  at 
the  prospect  of  having  an  audience  for  his  latest  bear  tales.. 
For,  next  to  hunting  and  eating  that  lordly  game,  he  liked  to 
tell  of  his  exploits.  I  wish  I  could  recall  one  of  these  yarns  ; 
I  am    sure  it  would  astonish  and  amuse  you. 

Phelps  was  clothed  in  raiment  of  cotton,  dyed  with  the 
bark  of  the  red  mangrove.  (This  gives  cloth  a  beautiful  pur- 
plish brown  color,  and  when  treated  with  a  mordant  like  alum 
or  copperas,  will  hardly  ever  fade.  Some  long-headed  Yan- 
kee may  yet  find  his  fortune  in  red  mangrove  bark.  If  he 
wants  to  try  it,  he  can  find  any  amount  of  the  raw  material 
around  the  sonth  coast. )  His  hunting  shirt  had  been  rendered 
perfectly  water-proof  by  the  oil  from  the  fat  bear  meat  which 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  carrying  on  his  shoulders,  and  his  long, 
black  hair  shone  with  a  fine  lustre,  from  the  same  cause. 
Sickness,  to  hiin,  was  a  myth,  and  medicine  an  insult;  while 
he  could  imbibe  liberal  draughts  of  sweet,  limpid  bear  oil, 
what  cared  he  for  wind  or  weather? 

His  dogs  were  not  less  remarkable  than  their  owner. 
There  were  five  of  them,  and  the  features  of  the  bloodhound 
seemed  to  predominate.  Phelps  had  procured  them  from  Cap- 
tain Douglass  Dummitt,  of  orange  grove  fame,  and  trained 
them  him.self.     Like   most  dogs  of  this  breed,  they  were  si- 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  115 

lently  ferocious,  and  seemed  ever  to  yearn  for  a  victim  ;  they 
were  all  formidable,  but  Rowdy,  the  leader,  v^as  simply  a  ter- 
ror. I  looked  on  him  very  much  as  a  rabbit  looks  on  a  big 
cat.  Those  watchful  eyes  of  his  seemed  never  to  close,  and 
his  javi^s  dropped  just  enough  to  show  [an  armory  of  teeth  as 
cruel  as  Cerberus,  and  as  relentless  as  death  itself.  He  was 
white,  with  black  spots.  Our  hero  was  well  provided  with  de- 
fenders, but  not  the  least  of  his  possessions  was  his  rifle, 
which  he  called  "Ruin."  He  purchased  Ruin  from  Captain 
Miles  Burnham,  who  had  it  made  to  order  in  New  York,  at  a 
considerable  outlay,  and  it  was  the  most  perfect  weapon  of  the 
kind  then  m  use. 

In  the  evening,  after  he  had  finished  the  most  important 
task  of  the  day — the  supper  of  bear's  flesh  and  palm-buds — he 
laid  himself  to  rest,  as  if  no  company  was  present.  Under- 
neath a  palmetto  shed,  he  unfolded  and  hung  up  his  forty 
yards  of  mosquito  netting,  and  extended  himself  on  the  soft 
Mackinaw  blankets  he  had  brought  from  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains. Then,  raising  the  netting  a  little,  he  called  each  dog — 
Rowdy  first,  and  then  the  others,  and  they  came,  just  as  their 
names  were  called,  and  took  their  places  around  their  master. 
Then,  with  the  invincible  Ruin  nestling  by  his  side,  he  drifted 
off  into  a  dim,  shadowy  land,  where  bears  were  as  plentiful  as 
mosquitoes,  and  much  easier  killed.  With  those  sleepless 
sentinels  aroxmd  him,  I  cannot  imagine  what  he  had  to  fear. 
Such  a  cordon  of  watchers  might  make  a  night's  sleep  in  an 
East  India  jungle,  one  of  sectn-itj'-  and  peace.  And  you  may 
rightly  judge  that  those  dogs  received  good  treatment.  Every 
morning  they  received  a  liberal  allowance  of  hominy  and  bear 
oil,  together  with  what  bits  of  meat  they  wanted.  Phelps  as- 
sured me  that  he  would  sooner  go  hungry  any  time,  than  see 
his  dogs  suffer  for  something  to  eat.  "The  man  that  strikes 
a  dog  of  mine,  strikes  me,"  was  a  frequent  remark  with  him. 
What  an  expression!  As  if  that  man  could  be  found,  who 
would  dare  such  a  thing!  It  would  have  been  strictly  a  per- 
sonal matter  between  the  man  and  the  dog,  to  be  settled  in  a 
very  short  time,  to  the  decided  detriment  of  the  former. 

Usually,  a  bear  is  not  of  a  very  agressive  turn  of  mind,  but 


116  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

I  heard  something  once,  which  gave  me  a  different  opinion. 
Phelps,  Jim  Russell  and  Capt.  Davis  were  rusticating  on  Lake 
Worth,  and  they  had  found  a  fine  camping  spot.  Bear 
signs  were  abundant,  and  the  outlook  for  a  huge  run  of  sport 
was  very  encouraging.  The  day  was  spent  in  making  all  pos- 
sible preparations  for  the  hunt  next  morning.  (It  was  their  in- 
tention to  turn  out  before  day-break  in  the  morning,  and  sur- 
prise the  bears  while  they  were  napping.)  Late  in  the  after- 
noon, the  party  went  on  a  reconnoitring  tour,  so  as  to  be  well 
posted  when  the  chase  was  begun  in  the  morning.  It  was 
some  time  after  dark  when  they  returned  to  supper.  While 
they  were  eating,  they  heard  heavy  steps  approaching,  and 
before  they  could  titter  a  word,  a  huge  bear  strode  into  the 
camp.  "Not  a  moment  stopped  or  stayed  he,"  to  ask  per- 
mission of  the  proprietors,  but  walked  right  into  their  midst, 
almost  brushing  against  one  of  the  men  and  rushed  at  a 
dog  ^  ho  was  sitting  near  by.  That  startled  animal,  finding 
himself  decidedly  at  a  disadvantage,  took  to  his  heels,  with 
the  bear  in  hot  pursuit.  Round  the  camp  they  went,  and  the 
men  stood  stock-still,  gazing  at  the  strange  spectacle  in  pow- 
erless and  speechless  amazement.  Finally,  Jim  RusseU 
rushed  down  to  the  boats,  which  were  on  the  margin  of  Lake 
Worth,  about  two  hundred  yards  away,  where  the  guns  had 
been  left.  Before  he  returned,  the  big  beast  had  vanished, 
and  nothing  could  be  done,  but  quietly  sit  down  and  finish 
their  supper.  Jim  Russell — who  is  still  living  on  Indian 
river — said  he  never  could  account  for  this  strange  freak,  and 
thinks  it  is  the  only  case  of  that  kind  ever  known. 

Our  hero's  tales  of  triumph  and  adventure  were  numer- 
ous and  varied,  but  his  favorite  theme  was  his  encounter  with 
"Old  Slewfoot,"  a  bear  of  prodigious  dimensions,  that  had 
tantalized  the  old  hunters  in  that  region  for  years,  appearing 
at  intervals,  and  giving  them  a  glimpse  of  a  huge  back  and 
shoulders,  only  to  fade  away  into  the  recesses  of  Pepper  Ham- 
mock, where  the  utmost  efforts  of  his  pursuers  failed  to  reveal 
his  hiding-place.  This  hammock  took  its  name  from  the 
wild  pepper,  which  grew  there  in  great  abundance.  Old 
Slewfoot  once  had  afigfht  with  a  panther,  and  bore  a  memento 
of  the  conflict  on  his  left  fore-foot,  which  had  turned  "wopper- 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  117 


jawed,"  and  made   a  track  easily  recognized   by  all  who  had 
heard  of  him,  and  gained  him  the  name  above  mentioned. 

To  kill  Old  Slewfoot  became  the  dearest  ambition  of 
Phelps'  life.  Creeping  under  the  palmetto,  in  the  sombre 
shades  of  the  hammock,  morning  and  evening,  enduring  the 
bites  of  mosquitoes,  red-bugs  and  seed-ticks,  with  his  trusty 
hounds  along  with  him,  he  hunted  the  old  veteran  for  two 
months.  One  morning,  the  bell-like  tones  of  his  big  dog 
Rowdy  waked  him  to  the  sense  of  something  important. 
Hastily  slipping  on  his  moccasins,  (it  was  about  daybreak)  he 
slung  Ruin  across  his  shoulder,  and  ran  toward  his  dogs,  who 
were  creating  a  fearful  racket  in  the  hammock,  two  or  three 
hundred  yards  away.  "If  they've  treed  him — if  they  liave 
treed  him!"  was  his  only  thought,  as  he  rushed  along. 

Yes,  Old  Slewfoot  was  in  close  quarters.  The  dogs  were 
all  around  him,  and  Rowdy  was  about  to  reach  his  throat, 
when  old  Ruin  delivered  a  message  in  lead  and  flame  that 
made  the  cool  morning  air  quiver  for  miles,  and  the  great  an- 
imal reared  and  fell  at  a  conqueror's  feet,  never  again  to  roam 
through  the  shady  hammock.  The  voice  in  which  each  old 
hunter  congratulated  Phelps  on  this  exploit  was  tinged  just  a 
little  with  envy,  for  they  all  imagined  that  the  bear  was  their 
lawful  prey,  and  had  a  kind  of  idea  that  no  interloper  should 
take  such  advantages.  But  when  the  time  of  feasting  came, 
each  old  worthy  enjoyed  a  good  quantity  of  the  meat.  Thus 
did  Old  Slewfoot  find,  at  last,  a  warm  place  in  the  hearts  (and 
stomachs)  of  those  iVho  had  been  his  bitterest  enemies.  And 
Phelps  understood  just  how  to  cook  bear  meat,  if  any  body 
did. 

Let  me  tell  you  of  a  favorite  dish  of  his,  and  then  I  will 
close.  You  know,  a  great  many  people  throw  away  the  feet 
of  a  bear.  Well,  Phelps  didn't.  After  cleaning  them  thor- 
oughly, he  boiled  them  in  plain  water  for  two  or  three  hours  ; 
then  he  would  stew  them  up  some  way  with  onions  and  palm 
buds,  and  you  couldn't,  for  the  life  of  you,  tell  what  kind  of 
meat  it  resembled  ;  but  you  knew  one  thing — but  few  delica 
cies  were  equal  to  it.  If  I  had  that  dish  for  dinner  every  day 
now,  I  would  undoubtedly  bti  a  healthier  (and  probably  a  bet, 
ter  and  wiser)  man. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  119 


CHAPTER  X. 

GIVIXG     MY    READERS     MY    IMPRESSION    OF    THE     FLORIDA    KEYS 
A   SOJOURN  WITH   PROF.    CURTISS. 

When  you  take  up  a  map  of  Florida,  one  of  the  objects 
which  strikes  your  attention,  is  a  long  row  of  little  dots,  for 
islands  extending  in  a  long,  oblique  group,  around  the  south- 
ern extremity  of  Florida,  graced  with  innumerable  names, 
each  with  a  "Key"  attached  to  it.  These  are  known  as  the 
Florida  Keys,  and  many  who  have  never  visited  them,  are  of- 
ten heard  to  ask  what  the  keys  consist  of,  and  want  to  know 
''what  they  are  good  for."  My  object  in  writing  this  chapter 
is  to  answer  these  queries. 

In  the  year  1880,  Professor  A.  H.  Curtiss  was  detailed, 
by  the  Department  of  the  Interior,  to  obtain  a  complete  col- 
lection of  Southern  woods,  and  it  was  my  good  fortune  to  be 
able  to  act  as  guide  for  him,  on  this  important  trip.  On  the 
morning  of  the  6th  of  May,  we  started  out  from  Key  West, 
in  a  sail  boat,  and  headed  for  Boca  Chica.  After  a  sail  of 
two  or  three  hours,  we  landed  on  the  Key,  and  prepared  a 
camp.  The  Professor  had  invited  Mr.  Ashmead,  of  Jack- 
sonville, to  accompany  him,  and  as  we  had  made  every  con- 
ceivable preparation  for  the  journey,  before  leaving  Key  West> 
there  was  nothing  to  put  a  damper  on  our  spirits.  The  after- 
noon was  spent  in  exploring  the  island  and  gathering  plants. 
The  soil  was  very  rich,  covered  with  sea-grape,  wild  sappa- 
dillo  and  dog-wood  trees,  and  vines.  There  did  not  seem  a 
very  promising  field  for  collecting  specimens,  so  we  made  our 


120  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

visit  as  short  as  possible.  The  Professor  was  desirous  of 
reaching  a  locality  where  specimens  were  more  abundant ,  and 
the  scenes  which  lay  ahead  were  looked  forward  to  with, 
pleasant  anticipations.  Our  time,  which  had  not  been  limited 
or  fixed  by  any  arbiter,  must  nevertheless  be  put  to  the  very 
best  possible  use,  and  we  hastened  onward,  actuated  by  a  de- 
sire to  seek  out  the  habitat  of  all  the  forest  trees,  common  and 
uncommon,  that  were  to  be  looked  for  in  this  sunny  latitude. 

Next  mornmg  we  "weighed  anchor"  and  proceeded  on 
our  journey.  The  morning  was  calm  and  bright,  and  the 
breezes  still  slumbered  on  the  waters,  which  lay  unruffled  be- 
fore us,  shaded  by  the  reflections  of  the  trees  on  hundreds  of 
little  islands  or  keys,  behind,  before  and  around  us.  Of  course 
we  made  rather  slow  progress,  and  until  a  slight  breeze  sprang" 
up,  I  was  afraid  we  would  do  nothing  at  all  that  day.  We 
drifted  idly  among  the  keys,  and  did  not  pass  them  rapidly 
-enough  to  prevent  an  examination  of  some  of  their  peculiar- 
ities. Occasionally  a  column  of  smoke,  arising  from  a  solid 
phalanx  of  banana  and  lime  trees,  showed  that  the  key  was 
inhabited.  On  the  shore,  a  deer  ^occasionally  jumped  into 
sight  and  then  disappeared  in  the  bushes,  about  the  time  a 
discussion  was  begun  as  to  the  propriety  of  stopping  and  hav- 
ing some  sport  as  well  as  venison.  The  usual  size  of  these 
smaller  Iceys,  was  about  a  mile,  and  sometimes  we  encoun- 
tered some  containing  no  moi'e  than  forty  acres,  while  others 
w^ere  many  hundred  acres  in  extent.  The  width  of  these  cu- 
rious bodies  of  land  was  never  equal  to  the  length ;  in  many 
cases,  a  key  two  miles  long  was  scarcely  a  half  mile  wide, 
and  covered  almost  entirely  with  lime-rocks.  Around  the 
borders  was  a  dense  growth  of  mangrove  and  button-wood,, 
which  often  hid  the  interior  of  the  island  from  view. 

Buttonwood  makes  better  fuel  than  any  wood  I  ever  saw. 
A  log  of  buttonwood,  set  on  fire  at  one  end,  will  burn  to 
ashes  before  the  fire  goes  out,  and  generates  an  intense  heat 
The  wood  is  collected  on  the  keys  and  shipped  to  Key  West, 
where  it  brings  from  five  to  seven  dollars  a  cord ;  it  is  about 
the  only  fuel  used  there. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  ELOEIDA.  121 

That  evening  we  landed  at  Little  Pine  Key,  something 
near  fifteen  miles  from  Boca  Chica.  We  stopped  here,  sim- 
ply as  a  matter  of  necessity,  for  the  island  was  little  else  but 
a  long,  irregular  pile  of  lime-rocks,  covered  sparsely  with  pine 
trees  of  small  stature.  To  the  west,  about  three  miles  away, 
we  could  see  Big  Pine  Key,  with  its  tall  pines  and  mangrove 
thickets.     These  are  the  only  keys  on  which  pines  are  found. 

On  that  morning  we  were  favored  with  a  fine  breeze,  and 
it  did  not  take  us  long  to  reach  Knight's  Key,  and  all  day, 
we  wound  in  and  out,  among  the  archipelago  of  keys  which 
stretched  in  every  direction,  as  far  as  we  could  see. 

At  lo  o'clock  next  morning,  we  came  to  Matacomba  Key, 
and  were  given  a  cordial  welcome  by  Messrs.  Pinder  and 
Sanders,  and  it  may  be  easily  imagined  that  we  were  glad  to 
find  ourselves  among  human  being  once  more.  Matacomba 
was  two  miles  long,  and  not  much  more  than  one-fourth  of  a 
mile  wide,  bordered  with  a  beautiful  white  sandy  beach.  As 
usual,  the  soil  was  rocky,  and  it  was  a  source  of  continual 
surprise  to  me,  that  such  luxuriant  forests  could  grow  on  land 
like  this.  Not  only  forest  trees,  but  many  varieties  of  semi- 
tropical  fruits  and  flowers,  made  themselves  perfectly  at  home 
in  this  halcyon  spot ;  well  might  they  lift  their  heads  fearlessly 
into  the  warm,  brine-laden  air,  for  no  modicum  of  frost  ever 
reached  their  home,  and  the  tenderest  exotic  might  never  find 
its  ambitions  checked  by  an  unkindly  blast. 

Our  newly-found  friends  spared  no  effort  to  make  our 
visit  a  pleasant  one,  and  it  was  with  much  interest  and  pleas- 
ure that  we  inspected  their  gardens  of  tropical  fruits.  Here, 
indeed,  was  the  very  home  of  the  pine- apple.  At  that  time, 
they  had  made  but  a  modest  beginning,  but  since  then,  I  have 
heard  that  they  have  made  some  immense  shipments  in  the 
last  year  or  two.  The  manner  of  cultivation  was  peculiar. 
No  hoe  could  be  used,  on  account  of  the  extreme  shallowness 
of  the  soil.  The  truth  of  the  matter  is,  that  the  ground  could 
not  be  stirred,  for  fear  of  its  being  blown  away,  and  leaving 
nothing  but  the  bare  rock.  But  you  could  not  throw  a  plant 
down  without  its  taking  root,  so  favorable  were  the  conditions 


122  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

for  growth.  The  plants  were  set  out  about  eighteen  inches 
apart,  and  then  left  mainly  to  themselves.  One  weeding  was 
considered  sufficient,  and  the  soil  was  not  stirred  at  all.  The 
severe  droughts  that  prevail  on  the  Florida  Keys,  at  times,  do 
not  affect  the  pineapples  very  seriously.  Indeed,  I  have  been 
led  to  believe  that  they  are  more  than  half  air-plants  ;  lately, 
the,  botanists  have  established  a  very  palpable  relationship  be- 
tween the  air-plant,  long-moss,  and  pineapple,  and  that  is  one 
point  in  favor  of  my  theory.  At  any  rate,  I  have  always 
noticed  that  they  grow  much  better  on  dry  soil  than  in  a  damp 
situation. 

I  doubt  if  the  Professor  or  Mr.  Ashmead  had  ever  bef or  e 
enjoyed  such  an  abundant  and  protracted  feast  of  pineapples, 
and  I,  (Floridian  that  I  am,)  can  truthfully  say  that  I  had 
never  eaten  so  much  of  the  luscious  fruit.  Sappadillo,  pa- 
paw,  and  sugar  apple  trees  were  loaded  with  young  fruit,  and 
it  was  quite  tantalizing,  to  reflect  that  we  were  there  too  early 
in  the  season  to  enjoy  any  of  the  ripe  fruit.  We  consoled  our- 
selves, however,  w^ith  looking  for  specimens.  Before  I  leave 
the  subject  of  fruit-growing  on  this  key,  I  wish  to  say  a  little 
about  the  cultivation  of  bananas,  etc. 

On  different  portions  of  the  island  were  little  patches  of 
deep  soil,  called  by  the  inhabitants,  "red-holes."  These  cu- 
rious spots  are  from  fifteen  to  thirty  feet  in  diameter,  and  take 
their  name  from  the  peculiar  reddish  color  of  the  soil  con- 
tained in  them.  Scarcely  any  rocks  are  found  in  these  spots, 
and  the  fruit-growers  select  them  on  that  account,  as  a  place 
to  plant  bananas  and  tropical  fruit-trees.  Dwarf  bananas  are 
the  only  kind  grown  to  any  extent  on  this  key,  and,  although 
the  plants  are  of  low  stature,  the  heads  are  very  large,  and 
sometimes  are  so  long  that  they  touch  the  ground.  These 
red-holes  are  not  found  on  every  key,  and  are  valued  highly 
by  the  planters. 

For  nine  days  we  remained  on  Matacomba,  and  the  ax 
was  kept  busy,  and  our  negro,  Dave,  displayed  great  energy 
in  felling  the  trees,  under  the  professor's  directions.  Here 
we  found  fine  specimens  of  prince-wood,  crab-wood,  lignum 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  '  123 

vitae,  torch-wood,  and  Madeira-wood.  Torch-wood  is  al- 
most as  fine-scented  as  sandal-wood,  and  is  very  inflam- 
mable. Crab-wood,  which  finds  its  way  to  Northern  mar- 
kets in  the  shape  of  walking-canes,  was  found  here  in  abund- 
ance. The  wood  is  valuable,  and  is  worth  at  least  fifty  dollars 
a  cord,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that  it  was  being  used  for 
fuel  on  this  key.  It  would  weary  the  reader  to  give  the  name 
and  description  of  each  tree  we  saw  at  this  place,  and  I  will 
content  myself  with  the  remark  that  on  no  other  key,  did  we 
find  a  greater  variety  of  woods. 

The  nine  days  of  our  sojourn  at  Matacomba  were  calcu- 
lated to  remain  as  bright  spots  on  the  memory  of  the  three 
principal  actors  in  the  affair,  and  we  were  really  sorry  to  turn 
our  backs  on  this  lovely,  sequestered  spot.  It  seemed  to 
us,  that  we  had  seen  the  garden-spot,  and  that  the  coming 
scenes  would  prepare  us  for  disappointment.  A  certain  sub- 
tle, inexplicable  air  of  comfort  and  content  about  the  place, 
had  not  failed  of  its  effect  upon  us,  and  in  i-eviewing  the 
favorable  features  of  the  surroundings,  I  almost  forgot  the 
charms  of  Indian  river.  But  the  voice  of  duty  reminded  us 
that  we  must  seek  new  fields,  and  extend  our  investigation 
among  the  semi-tropical  forests. 

Plantation  Key  next  received  our  attention.  But  a  brief 
glance  in  the  interior  showed  us  that  the  prospects  for,a  new 
collection  were  not  flattering.  The  main  objects  of  interests 
were  Mr.  Low's  pineapple  field  and  cocoanut  grove.  Here 
we  saw  thirty  acres  planted  in  pineapples,  covering  the  ground 
completely,  and  gay  with  ripening  fruit.  Ah,  wasn't  that  a 
spicy  breeze,  that  saluted  us,  when  we  landed?  Sated,  as  we 
were  with  the  fruit  we  had  eaten  at  Matacomba,  we  still 
could  not  help  enjoying  the  rich  fragrance  of  tlie  breeze  that 
swept  that  precious  expanse  of  green,  purple  and  gold.  The 
crop  that  year  was  coming  on  finely,  and  Mr.  Low  was  count- 
ing on  cutting  at  least  eight  thousand  dozen  pineapples. 

Pleasant  as  the  prospect  was,  we  could  not  stop,  and 
soon,  the  green  island  with  its  long  colonnades  of  palms  was 
left  behind,  and  our  sail  filled  with  a  noble  breeze,  which  bore 


124  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

US  in  the  direction  of  Key  Largo.  At  the  key,  we  formed 
the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Baker,  one  of  the  first  men  who  ever 
thought  of  raising  pineapples  on  the  keys.  This  is  more  than 
twice  as  large  as  any  other  key,  being  twenty-five  miles  long, 
and  averaging  nearly  half  a  mile  in  width.  "Largo,"  in 
Spanish,  signifies  "long,"  and  the  name  fits  this  key  very 
well. 

Key  Largo  was  well  timbered,  but  as  there  was  no  pros- 
pect of  finding  any  new  specimens,  our  stay  was  short.  Two 
days  afterwai^d,  we  reached  the  Indian  hunting-grounds,  on 
Biscayne  Bay.  This  was  my  second  vioit  to  this  wonderful  re- 
gion, and  we  all  entered  it  with  pleasant  anticipations.  I  was 
no*"  going  into  an  entirely  strange  land,  for  I  was  sure  of 
meeting  Mr.  John  Addison,  an  old-time  friend  of  mine  whom 
T  had  known  for  thirty  years.  The  first  thing  we  did  was  to 
penetrate  the  dense  green  wall  of  hammock  which  rose  up  be- 
fore us.  Here,  indeed,  was  a  lavish  wealth  of  pure,  undefiled 
nature  ;  huge  trees  of  gumbolimbo,  red-stopper  and  mastic 
towered  away  above  us,  and  the  graceful  trunks  of  innumer- 
able palms  met  our  eyes  on  either  side.  A  strange,  but  not 
unpleasant  odor  was  exhaled  from  the  ground,  where  centu- 
ried  logs  and  leaves  from  spicy  tropical  trees  were  moulder- 
ing into  dust.  We  found  a  tree,  which,  I  believe,  could  not 
have  been  found  anywhere  else  in  Florida.  This  was  the  so- 
called-paradise  tree — a  lovely  specimen  of  the  vegetable  king- 
dom. '"  It  was  forty  feet  high,  covered  with  a  wide  spreading 
crown  of  leaves,  of  a  delicate,  sea-green  tint,  which  gave  the 
tree  an  extremely  handsome  appearance.  When  we  found 
this  tree,  the  berries  were  just  ripening,  and  we  were  deprived 
of  the  opportunity  of  seeing  the  flowers.  Judging  from  the 
descriptions  of  those  who  were  well  acquainted  with  the  par- 
adise-tree, the  flowers  must  be  marvelously  beautiful. 

We  found  John  Addison  snugly  hidden  away  in  this  ham- 
mock, with  his  dwelling  almost  hidden  from  sight  by  a  grove 
of  fine  banana  plants.  Frost  was  unknown,  at  this  place. 
On  Addison's  farm,  we  saw  the  finest  of  sugar-cane  and  Ja- 
maica arrowroot  growing.  No  orange  trees  were  to  be  seen, 
but  limes  and   lemons  were  doing  well.     (It  is  a  curious,  but 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  125 

undisputed  fact,  that  orange  trees  can  not  be  grown  on  the 
Florida  Keys,  nor  on  such  land  as  the  Indian  Hunting 
Ground.  Unsuccessful  attempts  have  been  made,  to  raise  them 
in  these  places,  but  the  rock  which  underlies  the  soil  prevents 
the  tap-root  from  penetrating  deep  enough.  And  you 
very  seldom  see  a  cow^  about  the  Hunting  Grounds.  The  old 
settlers  say  that  there  is  some  poisonous  grass  growing  in  the 
woods,  which  kills  the  cattle.  A  cow  is  very  seldom  seen  on 
the  Florida  Keys.  But  there  are  so  many  good  points  about 
this  part  of  the  country,  that  you  would  be  well  satisfied  to 
forego  cattle  and  oranges.) 

I  don't  remember  how  many  new  varieties  of  woods  we 
found  here ;  there  was  the  red  and  black-stopper,  the  blolly- 
tree,  and  the  cocoa-plum,  the  "pull-and-haul-back," — a 
thorny  tree  or  vine,  whatever  you  may  call  it,  for  it  partakes 
of  the  nature  of  both — and  the  rubber  trees,  Dave  served  us 
faithfully  and  he  and  his  ax  were  potent  agents  in  getting  to- 
gether one  of  the  most  complete  collections  of  forest  trees  ever 
made  in  this  or  any  other  country.  Dave  made  the  chips  fly 
with  a  zeal  that  reflected  great  credit  on  his  race,  but  there 
was  one  time  when  he  refused  to  obey  commands.  And  that 
time,  he  had  a  pretty  good  reason  for  it.  It  was  when  we 
were  on  Boca  Chica,  and  it  was  a  manchineel  tree,  that  ex- 
cited Dave's  fears.  After  listening  to  a  description  of  ^the  ter- 
rible properties  of  this  tree,  Dave  swore  that  we  might^sk  any 
other  duty  of  him,  but  that  he  would  not  touch  that  manchi- 
neel for  anything.  He  described,  with  a  shiver,  the  dire  con- 
sequences attendant  upon  cutting  the  tree  ;  one  stroke  of  the 
ax,  he  said,  would  be  sufficient;  the  milk,  which  is  found  in 
this  tree,  in  great  abundance,  would  be  scattered  over  him, 
and  everywere  a  drop  fell,  there  would  be  a  frightful  sore. 
The  manchineel  is  terribly  poison,  but  not  so  bad  as  Dave  be- 
lieved. 

We  divided  our  time  between  the  Hunting  Grounds  and 
Miami,  and  stayed  in  that  region  about  ten  days.  Before  we 
left,  we  secured  the  greater  part  of  the  collection.  While  at 
the  Hunting  Grounds  (which  didn't  very  well  deserve  its  name, 
for  game  was   b}'  no  means  over-abundant,)  we  were  aston- 


126  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

ished  at  the  springs,  which  burst  up  in  the  salt  water,  near 
the  beach.  Truly,  they  were  wonderful.  Wading  out  twen- 
ty-five or  thirty  yards  from  the  shore,  we  could  see  the  fresh- 
water springs  rippling  up  through  the  brine,  and  we  tried  some 
of  the  water,  to  see  how  it  tasted.  Knocking  out  both  heads 
of  a  barrel,  we  placed  it  around  a  spring,  and  carefully  bailed 
the  salt  water  out.  Soon  the  barrel  was  half  full  of  cool, 
sweet  drinking  water.  There  were  a  great  many  of  these 
springs,  and  some  of  them  were  of  quite  a  good  size.  I  do 
not  remember  having  seen  anything  like  it,  before  or  since,  and 
am  inclined  to  believe  that  it  is  a  first-class  curiosity. 

We  made  arrangements  with  a  man  to  carry  the  speci- 
mens to  Key  West,  and  then  journeyed  to  the  Gulf  coast, 
where  the  collection  was  completed.  We  had  gathered  to- 
gather  forty-four  distinct  varieties  of  South  Florida  woods. 
We  were  three  months  on  the  trip,  and  came  back  with  the 
consciousness  of  having  seen  a  great  deal  of  Florida,  and  it 
was  just  the  impression  made  on  me  by  this  trip,  that  led  me 
to  write  an  account  of  it.  My  compagnons  du  voyage  have 
each  given  their  iinpressions  to  the  world,  and  I  have  tried 
to  do  the  same.  Five  years  have  elapsed  since  the  journey 
was  made,  and  the  visitor,  now,  would  have  to  remember 
that,  about  the  time  he  thought  of  taking  me  to  task  for  some 
apparent  discrepancy  between  my  description  and  the  coun- 
try as  if  appears  to  him. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  127 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A    SHORT  DESCRIPTION  OF  SOME  OF  THE  TROPICAL  FRUITS  WHICH 
FIND  A  HOME  IN  FLORIDA. 

"The  tropical  fruits  of  Florida!"  "What  a  nameless 
charm  invests  this  subject,  for  the  denizen  of  a  colder  region, 
in  whose  imagination  these  children  of  the  southland  exist 
only  as  a  dream !  But  the  thrill  of  enthusiasm  awakened  by 
the  contemplation  of  these  unseen  glories  must,  in  a  consid- 
erable measure,  fade  in  presence  of  reality.  That  is,  you 
must  prepare  yourself  for  disappointment,  if  you  expect  the 
fruits  and  flowers  of  paradise  on  an  earthly  soil.  The  fruits  I 
am  about  to  describe,  are  objects  of  interest  mainly  on  ac- 
count of  their  rarity  in  this  country,  and  partly  as  an  unde- 
veloped source  of  revenue  to  the  State. 

Accounts  of  tropical  fruits  are  as  often  exaggerated  as 
fish  or  alligator  stories.  I  read  a  dime  novel  once  (reader, 
it  was  a  good  while  ago;  that's  my  only  excuse) — I  think 
Wild-cat  Ned,  the  Bloodhungry  Prince  of  the  Prairies,  was  the 
hero — where  the  brave  lad  rescued  a  maiden,  single-handed, 
from  a  band  of  savages.  The  scene  was  laid  in  a  wilder- 
ness, where  all  manner  of  fruit  was  opportunely  abundant. 
There  was  nothing  remarkable  in  all  this — I  had  read  of  count- 
less exploits  of  a  similar  nature,  before — but  I  was  astonished 
to  hear  that  the  young  hero,  in  looking  around  for  something 
for  his  girl  to  eat,  found  some  delicious  ripe  bananas,  grow- 
ing on  a  vine  I  That  disgusted  me  with  that  sort  of  literature. 
There  are  some  big  stories  told  of  other  fruits.     An  American 


128  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOKIDA. 

traveler,  in  speaking  of  an  East  India  fruit  called  the  durion 
or  durian,  says  that  it  is  at  once  the  most  delightful  and  most 
disgusting  of  all  fruits.  He  says  the  odor  of  a  ripe  durian  is 
a  hundred  times  worse  than  a  whiff  from  a  glue-factory  or 
bone-yard,  and  yet  so  intensely  luscious  and  rich  that  the  ap- 
petite for  it  amounts  almost  to  a  frenzy.  He  gives  it  as  a 
well  established  fact  that  the  native  women  often  sell  their 
children,  in  order  to  procure  the  fruit.  There  is  undoubtedly 
such  a  fruit  as  the  durian,  but  I  hardly  think  its  properties 
are  so  "agonizing"  as  one  would  gather  from  the  above  de- 
scription. In  our  own  Florida,  the  guava  plays  a  milder  role, 
but  is  sometimes  roughly  handled  by  those  who  are  so  unap- 
preciative  of  the  good  things  of  Nature,  as  not  to  like  them. 
The  following  incident  is  said  to  have  occurred  at  Orlando, 
in  Orange  county: 

A  down-east  Yankee  mounted  a  "kyart"  belonging  to  a 
venerable  Cracker  who  had  brought  some  of  his  plantation 
products  to  town.  Sniffing  the  air  vigorously,  the  Yank 
looked  around  in  the  cart,  and  saw  a  box,  covered  with  moss. 
"What  have  you  in  heer?"  enquired  the  descendant  of 
John  Alden,  bending  his  eyebrows  in  the  direction  of  the 
Cracker,  who  answered,  smilingly:  "Gwavers."  "Great 
horn-spoons!"  gasped  the  Yank;  "now,  p'raps  you'll  tell 
me  how  long  they've  been  dead !  "  It  is  said  that  that  Cracker 
has  not" yet  quit  laughing  over  the  Yankee's  ignorance. 

Very  few  people  like  guavas  at  the  first  trial.  The  odor 
is  powerful  and  penetrating,  and  is  calculated  to  antagonize 
the  senses,  until  a  closer  acquaintance  is  gained.  The  best 
variety  I  know  of  is  the  large,  white  pear-shaped  kind,  and  I 
challenge  any  one  to  show  me  any  kind  of  Northei-n  fruit  that 
will  eclipse  this  prince  of  luxuries.  The  pink,  catley,  straw- 
berry, and  vinegar  guavas  grow  finely  throughout  South  Flor- 
ida. The  finest  specimens  of  this  fruit  I  ever  saw  were  grown 
at  Point  Pinellas,  on  Tampa  Bay,  in  the  grove  of  Vincent 
Leonardy.  Guavas  will  grow,  with  a  little  protection,  as  far 
north  as  Palatka  and  Jacksonville,  although  it  is  seldom  met 
with  north  of  Putnam  county.  The  fruit  ripens  from  July  to 
November. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  129 


The  Agua  Gate,  or  alligator  pear,  is  not  a  pear  at  all ;  it 
has  one  large  seed  in  the  centre,  weighing  two  ounces,  in  a 
good  specimen.  I  have  seen  agua  cates  (pronounced  ah-guah 
cahta)  weighing  two  pounds  each.  The  flavor  transcends 
that  of  the  finest  muskmelon,  and  the  fruit  is  eaten  with  salt 
and  pepper.  It  contains  no  acid,  but  its  rich,  marrowy,  veg- 
etable-like pulp  renders  it  a  fine  article  of  food.  One  full 
grown  specimen  is  as  much  as  any  man  can  eat,  and  it  more 
nearly  takes  the  place  of  meat  than  any  other  fruit  I  know  of. 
One  fine  feature  of  this  tree  is  its  power  of  resisting  cold. 
Confident  that  it  would  succeed  as  far  north  as  Palatka,  (not- 
with  standing  the  evil  predictions  of  a  few  croakers  who  styled 
themselves  judges  of  such  matters)  I  introduced  some  of  the 
trees  in  1882.  Mr.  Dorwin,  Mr.  Jackson  and  others  procured 
young  plants  of  me,  and  the  present  fine  condition  of  the  trees 
attests  the  favorable  action  of  Palatka  soil  and  climate.  They 
can  undoubtedly  be  grown,  successfully,  in  Putnam  cotmty, 
i-lthough  hardly  in  such  perfection  as  farther  South.  The  best 
specimens  of  this  valuable  tree  I  have  seen,  are  growing  on 
the  property  of  John  Roble,  near  Tampa.  In  August,  1880, 
I  accompanied  Pi-cfessor  A.  H.  Curtiss  to  this  place.  The 
trees,  at  that  time,  were  thirty-five  feet  high,  and  about  15 
inches  in  diameter.  Professor  Curtiss  pronounced  it  one  of 
the  most  beautiful  that  he  had  ever  seen.  Such  a  tree  would 
no  doubt  bear  annual  crops  of  fifteen  hundred  pounds  of  fruit, 
that  wovild  sell  readily  at  eight  cents  a  pound.  In  Tampa,  I 
never  saw  them  sell  for  a  lower  price  than  seventy-five  cents 
-a  dozen.  The  agua  cate  begins  to  bear  at  the  age  of  five 
years.  A  temperature  of  20  degrees  above  zero  is  cold 
enough,  but  I  think  they  will  stand  it  for  a  short  time.  The 
fruit  ripens  from  August  till  October. 

The  mango  is  a  fruit  that  has  many  friends,  on  account 
■of  its  handsome  appearance,  and  its  novel  flavor.  It  is  pear- 
shaped,  flattened  and  covered  with  russet-br<jwn  and  green- 
ish-red splotches.  The  seed  is  very  large  and  flat,  the  flesh 
adhering  to  it  very  firmly.  Just  the  least  odor  of  turpentine, 
in  some  of  the  specimens,  detracts  a  little  from  the  popularity 
of  the  fruit.  The  tree  is  exceedingly  prolific,  and  the  fruit 
bears  shipping  well.     Mangoes  will  stand  a  pretty  sharp  frost, 


130  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

but  I  wouldn't  advise  any  one  to  risk  too  much  of  it.  They 
begin  bearing  when  three  years  old,  and  are  of  rapid  growth- 
The  long,  drooping  branches,  laden  with  fruit,  and  the  shin- 
ing red,  willowy  terminal  leaves  are  quite  handsome.  The 
fruit  commences  ripening  in  July,  and  the  crop  is  of  short  du- 
ration. 

The  sappadillo  is  one  of  my  favorites.  There  are  eight 
varieties  of  the  fruit,  and  they  are  all  good ;  but  the  egg- 
shaped  variety  is  the  best.  The  Cubans  say:  '•'•Es  frutamuy 
delicada;"  "The  fruit  is  most  delicious."  On  the  Keys 
they  attain  their  greatest  perfection.  The  Cubans  acknowl- 
edge the  superiority  of  the  Florida  sappadillo  over  their  own. 
The  tree  is  small,  hardly  ever  exceeding  four  inches  in  di- 
ameter, and  the  leaves  are  very  dark  green.  The  pulp  is  very 
sweet,  and  brownish  in  color.  Outside,  the  fruit  resembles 
an  Irish  potato.  Like  the  mango,  the  sappadillo  bears  the 
third  year  after  planting,  and  is  very  prolific.  They  always 
command  good  prices  in  the  markets  of  Key  West  and 
Tampa.  I  am  pretty  sure  they  can  endure  a  moderate  frost 
without  protection.  The  crop,  which  begins  with  July,  lasts 
well. 

Probably,  the  largest  fruit  in  Florida  is  the  sour-sop,  or 
Anona  muricata,  called  by  the  Spaniards  guanavana.  They 
are  simply  immense.  Four  pounds  is  the  common  weight. 
The  sed'ds  are  numerous,  small  and  black,  floating  in  a  snowy, 
cnstard-like  pulp,  which  has  a  fine  flavor,  unlike  that  of  any 
other  fruit.  Ice-cream  and  cooling  drinks  are  made  of  them 
in  Key  West.  The  exterior  of  the  fruit  is  of  a  greenish  color, 
irregular  in  shape,  and  covered  with  soft  prickles.  The  tree, 
which  begins  to  bear  at  five  years  of  age,  is  a  strong  grower, 
and  the  leaves  are  small  and  lanceolate.  The  fruit  is  rare  in 
Key  West,  and  commands  as  high  as  sixty  cents  apiece  some- 
times. In  the  latter  part  of  August  the  fruit  begins  to  ripen, 
and  is  jealously  guarded,  to  prevent  its  getting  injured,  or 
stolen.  A  man  named  Sanders,  in  Key  West,  was  the  owner 
of  the  largest  tree  in  the  city.  To  prevent  the  fruit  from  fall- 
ing and  bruising  itself  during  the  night,  he  prepared  bags  of 
cloth,  placed   them   around  the  fruit,    and  tied  them  to  the 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  131 


limbs.  If  the  fruit  took  a  notion  to  part  from  the  parent  stem 
during  the  night,  the  bag  would  hold  it.  Sour  sops  can  not 
withstand  frost ;  I  am  pretty  sure  of  that.  I  think  it  is  the 
most  delicate  fruit  grown  in  Florida,  and  one  of  the  most  val- 
uable. 

The  Jamaica  apple,  or  cherimoyer,  is  not  at  all  like  a 
Northern  apple ;  the  seeds  are  half  an  inch  long,  and  flat ;  the 
pulp  is  firm  and  white,  with  a  rich,  sub-acid  flavor.  This 
fruit  is  not  plentiful  in  Florida  ;  the  tree  is  small,  and  by  no 
means  a  prolific  bearer.  On  the  Keys  is  its  home,  where  it 
ripens  in  August,  and  it  bears  in  five  years  from  the  seed. 

The  sugar-apple  tree  resembles  the  above,  but  the  fruit 
is  very  different.  It  is  exceedingly  rich  ;  the  pulp  is  like  can- 
died honey,  with  a  peculiar  grainy  texture.  Like  the  papaw 
of  the  Middle  States,  and  other  members  of  the  Anona  f aiiaily, 
the  seeds  are  smooth,  round  and  black,  and  the  outside  skin 
is  olive-green,  with  a  knotty  surface  ;  the  aroma  is  fine  in  the 
extreme.  It  can  endure  a  moderate  degree  of  cold,  but  does 
not  bear  transportation.  It  commences  to  bear  in  three  years, 
and  ripens  its  fruit  in  August. 

The  mammee  tree  is  very  rare  m  Florida ;  the  only  speci- 
mens I  know  of,  in  the  State,  are  growing  on  Mrs.  Gilbert's 
place  at  Miami.  Professor  Curtiss,  (considered  the  most 
prominent  botanist  in  the  South)  passed  Miami  with  me,  in 
the  year  1880,  and  we  saw  these  trees.  They  were,  at  that 
time,  at  least  thirty  feet  high,  with  a  spreading  summit.  The 
leaves  were  a  most  vivid  green, and  interspersed  with  snow- white 
flowers,  fully  two  inches  across.  Magnificent  is  a  tame  word 
to  use  in  connection  with  these  trees.  Two  of  them  stood 
near  together,  one  loaded  with  fruit  and  the  other  with 
blooms.  The  tree  is  dioecious  ;  that  is,  it  requires  two  trees  to 
produce  fruit.  I  think  these  are  the  only  specimens  of  the  m  am- 
mee  in  the  State.  The  fruit  is  as  large  as  a  canteloupe  melon, 
with  a  dark, brownish  skin.  Inside  it  is  yellow,with'a  soft,  yield- 
ing pulp,  when  fully  ripe.  If  I  were  asked  to  describe  the 
flavor  of  this  fruit,  I  would  have  to  answer:  "It  tastes  like  a 
mammee,  more  than  anything  else."  It  ripens  in  June,  and 
continues  about  two  months. 


132  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

The  West  India  papaw  (^Carica  papaya')  is  not  a  very 
delicious  fruit;  it  is  as  large  as  a  man's  head,  and  is  rangjed 
around  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  where  the  crown  of  leaves  put 
forth.  In  two  or  three  years,  you  may  expect  fruit,  if  the  tree 
has  been  planted  in  soil  sufficiently  rich  and  moist.  Papaws 
are  most  plentiful  on  the  coast,  where  the  frost  protection  is 
fairly  good.      They  will  not  stand  a  heavy  frost. 

I  have  seen  a  fruit  in  Key  West,  the  name  of  which  I  will 
write  Tee-Ess.  It  is  very  rare,  and  the  few  trees  in  Key 
West  are  valued  highly.  It  looks  somewhat  like  alai'ge,  yellow 
plum,  but  the  flavor  is  something  entirely  new.  The  Tee-Ess 
is  undoubtedly  the  costliest  fruit,  to  its  size,  in  the  State,  and 
is  very  sensitive  to  cold.  The  fruit,  which  ripens  in  late  Au- 
gust, is  produced  when  the  tree  is  five  years  old. 

Tamarind  trees  are  plentiful  on  the  Keys.  A  most  de- 
licious summer  drink  is  made  from  the  pods,  which  are  filled 
with  an  acid  pulp,  of  a  jelly-like  consistency.  Handsome  in- 
deed are  the  long,  drooping  boughs  and  bright  green  bi-pin- 
nate  leaves,  and  the  tree  resembles,  in  some  respects,  the 
honey-locust,  without  the  thorns.  It  bears  early,  and  is  not 
injured  by  a  moderate  frost. 

The  date-palms  of  St.  Augustine  bear  heavy  crops  each 
year.  Some  of  them  are  over  thirty  feet  high,  and  must  be 
fully  a  hundred  years  old.  The  date  is  dioecious,  and  the  fruit, 
which  is  hard,  and  of  a  reddish  color,  is  not  of  much  value,  as 
no  one  seems  to  understand  the  art  of  curing  it.  This 
secret  must  be  learned,  before  dates  become  a  source  of  rev- 
enue to  the  State. 

The  India  rubber,  saffron-plum,  mastic  fruit,  cocoa-plum, 
(CJyiyiclaJar.ns  naco)  and  custard-apple  have  been  men- 
tioned in  my  Indian  War  Ecminiscences.  Bananas,  pineap- 
ples, and  the  Citrus  fruits  have  not  been  touched  upon,  as  they 
are  too  well  knoMn  to  need  any  description.  Of  course,  I 
could  not  enter  into  detail  in  rf  gaid  to  the  cultivation  of  the 
aits  described  in  this  chapter  ;  anything  like  a  satisfactory 
synopsis  of  that  kind  would  make  a  book  of  itself.  Much  in- 
formation and  pleasure  could  be  gained  from  a  thorough  tour 
t  hrcugh  Florida.  Our  flatwoods  and  scrubs  are  teeming  with 
tropical  plant-life,  and  our  hammocks  abound  in  fruits  and  flow- 
ers, some  of  which  have  never  found  their  way  into  any  botany. 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  133 


CHAPTER  XII. 

IN    WHICH    THE    INEVITABLE    FINALE    AND    DISCLAIJIER    APPEARS. 

SOUTH  FLORIDA  IS  VIXDIOATED,   AND  THE  PEN  IS 

LAID    ASIDE. 

Since  that  auspicious  and  eventful  morning  of  Palm  Sun- 
day, A.  D.  15 12,  when  Ponce  de  Leon  lifted  the  veil  of  ob- 
scurity from  a  land  sui  generis  dind  unrivalled  in  the  gifts  which 
partial  Nature  had  bestowed  upon  it,  Florida  has  smiled 
through  a  mist  of  romance  which  has  not  been  dispelled  by 
the  advance  of  three  and  three-quarter  centuries.  The  wild, 
ambitious  dreams  of  the  Spaniards  who  sought  th  e  precious 
metals  in  our  hammocks  find  their  counterpart  in  the  eager 
anticipations  of  those  who  come  here  to  plant  orange  groves, 
fondly  believing  that  a  speedy  fortune  awaits  them,  in  the 
"field  of  the  fruit  of  gold."  The  difference  is ,  that  thfe  latter 
dream  is  capable  of  realization. 

The  title  of  these  sketches  does  not  seek  to  draw  an  in^ 
vidious  distinction  between  North  and  South  Florida.  It  so 
happened  that  the  greater  portion  of  my  life  as  a  guide,  sol- 
dier and  pilot  has  been  passed  in  the  extreme  southern  por- 
tion of  the  State,  and  as  it  did  not  behoove  me  to  enter  into 
details,  in  any  portion  of  the  book,  in  regard  to  the  advantages 
or  disadvantages  of  any  particular  section  of  Florida,  I  can 
disclaim  any  intention  of  writing  an  immigration  pamphlet, 
or  an  advertisement  of  real  estate.  The  old  settlers  of  Flor- 
ida here  read  an  account  of  scenes  with  which  they  are  fa- 
miliar ;  the  stranger  is  introduced  to  a  region  of  which  he  has 
heard  a  great  deal,  and  every  reader  may  know  that  the  de^ 


134  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLOEIDA. 

scriptions  are  capable  of  corroboration,  for  they  are  all  true. 
The  book  will  not  tell  the  reader  how  many  orange  trees  can 
be  planted  on  an  acre,  nor  how  many  thousand  boxes  of 
oranges  those  trees  will  yield  in  five  years,  and  does  not  even 
give  a  hint  as  to  the  best  place  in  the  State  for  growing  them. 
Not  a  line  will  be  found,  in  reference  to  any  real  estate,  for  I 
have  not  a  foot  of  land  for  sale.  And  I  don't  think  I  have 
made  the  impression  that  I  was  trying  to  persuade  anybody  to 
come  here.  I  reason  this  way :  If  you  have  made  up  your 
mind  to  come  here,  why,  you  are  comings  and  nobody  need 
try  to  dissuade  you.  On  the  other  hand,  of  course,  if  you 
didn't  want  to  come,  you  wouldn't  thank  anybody  for  insisting 
on  your  doing  so.  But  I  hope  I  haven't  scared  you  away,  by 
any  of  my  descriptions.  The  stingarees  of  Indian  river,  and 
the  'gators  of  Okeechobee  are  still  "alive  and  kicking,"  but  I 
never  hear  of  their  hurting  anybody,  nowadays.  Mosquitoes 
and  mosquito  stories  are  plentiful  as  ever;  the  lordly  Seminole 
still  scours  the  hammocks  of  Walk-in-the- Water,  in  search  of 
deer  and  bear,  and  loves  "wyomi"  and  red  handkerchiefs  as 
passionately  as  ever. 

The  enthusiast  who  wants  to  come  here,  should  remem- 
ber that  he  can't  find  everything  just  to  his  notion ;  he  must 
not  lose  his  religion  if  he  is  bitten  by  a  few  mosquitoes  and 
sand-flies  while  walking  beneath  blossoming  orange  trees  with 
the  girl  of  his  choice,  and  if  he  wants  to  recline  at  length  on 
the  grass  in  the  shade,  he  must  not  be  surprised  if  the  sand- 
spurs  pin  his  clothes  to  his  skin.  The  botanist  who  pene- 
trates into  the  rich,  semi-tropical  hammocks  in  search  of 
flowers,  should  not  grumble  if  he  returns  laden  with  red-bugs 
and  other  interesting  little  creatures  who  lie  in  wait  in  the 
shady  woods,  and  whose  name  is  more  than  legion. 

In  coming  to  Florida,  one  should  leave  kid  gloves,  and 
great  expectations  behind.  And,  while  many  people  and 
many  papers  are  saying  that  this  is  the  poor  man's  terrestrial 
paradise,  I  would  advise  the  comer  to  bring  a  little  money 
along  with  him,  "just  for  convenience's  sake,  you  know," 
such  little  items  come  in  pretty  handy  sometimes.  As  a  gen- 
eral rule,  a  double-barreled  shot  gun  will  kill  all  the  game  you 


SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA.  135 


will  find,  without  resorting  to  a  breach-loader,  and  the  fisher- 
men here,  are  a  modest  sort  of  men.  You  hardly  ever  hear 
of  the  capture  of  a  very  big  fish,  but  what  they  lack  in  size  is 
made  up  in  quantity.  Hunting  gophers  inland  and  pegging 
turtles  on  the  coast  is  by  no  means  on  the  wane,  and  although 
these  sober  occupations  are  not  resorted  to  by  those  who  thirst 
after  the  gore  of  big  game,  they  are  sometimes  participated  in 
by  some  of  as  dignified  and  respectable  personages  as  you 
ever  saw. 

The  day  is  past,  when  you  could  take  up  a  homestead, 
half  hammock  and  the  other  half  a  wild  orange  grove,  and 
when  the  deer  obligingly  browsed  within  a  few  feet  of  your 
door,  as  if  anxious  to  supply  you  with  venison.  Once  in  a 
while,  however,  a  man  is  seen,  who  wants  and  expects  all 
these  things,  and*a  great  many  more.  One  of  these  peculiar 
specimens  of  the  human  race  lived  (or  rather  stayed)  at 
Tampa  Bay,  in  the  year  1858.  His  name  was  Hunter,  and  I 
think  he  hailed  from  Georgia.  That  man  was  the  very  em- 
bodiment of  dissatisfaction  and  imrest.  According  to  his  own 
statement,  he  had  looked  in  vain,  all  over  his  native  State,  for 
a  suitable  place  for  a  "buildin'  locayshin,"  and  came  to  Flor- 
ida, to  see  if  he  could  do  any  better.  When  I  met  him,  he 
was  dressed  in  a  rather  seedy  looking  suit  of  clothes,  but  there 
was  a  grin  of  hope  on  his  faded  features,  which  told  that  he 
expected  to  attain  his  object,  sooner  or  later. 

"What  kind  of  a  place  do  you  expect  to  find,  Mr.  Hunter?" 
I  asked  him,  one  day,  as  he  came  sauntering  along  the  street 
one  day.     He  answered,  with  a  nasal  drawl : 

"Well,  I'm  a-huntin'  of  a  homestead  what  has  got  a  piece 
of  hammick  lend"  (land)  "for  raisin'  gyarden-truck,  and  a 
high  pine  ridge  'jinin'  onto  it,  fur  a  buildin'  locayshin,  with 
a  na-tral  spring,  and  a  fust-rate  mill-site  thro  wed  in.  I've 
bin  a-huntin'  of  jist  sich  a  place  as  thai,  fur  five  or  six  year, 
and  I  'spect  to  git  it,  after  awhile." 

With  that  soft,  stereotyped  whistle,  and  that  easy,  sham- 
bling step,  he  vanished  from  my  sight.       Sometimes    he   put 


136  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

a  couple  of  pieces  of  hard-tack  in  his  pocket,  aad  sallied  forth 
in  quest  of  the  wonderful  combination-homestead,  and  he 
would  be  gone  for  three  or  fourdays.  His  "widow  and  or- 
phans," which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  his  wife  and 
children,  (with  more  propriety,, perhaps,  than  he  was  aware 
of)  had  to  scratch  around  pretty  lively  for  a  living,  while  he 
was  hunting  for  the  "natral  spring  and  mill-site,"  and  they, 
had  perhaps  long  ago  given  up  all  hope  of  his  success. 
The  last  I  heard  of  the  Hunter  family  was  a  letter  from  Mrs. 
Hunter,  written  to  a  friend  in  Tampa,  saying  that  she  would 
rather  be  in  Florida  with  a  pone  of  corn  bread,  than  to  live  in 
any  other  State  with  all  manner  of  delicacies  imaginable. 

The  moral  of  the  above  incident  is,  of  course,  that  you 
shouldn't  are  to  Florida,  unless  you  come  iprepared  to  take 
it  as  it  comes.  Hunter's  restless  dispositiorr  would  not  allow 
him  to  settle  anywhere.  It  reminds  me  of  ja  yarn  I  heard 
of  a  grandiloquent  Yankee,  who  used  some  .pretty  big  w,C4rds 
where  they  were  not  needed.  A  Cracker  standing  near  by, 
whose  mouth  had  gradually  expanded  as  he  took  in  the  ripple 
of  elegant  English,  exclaimed  with  a  burst  of  native  sarcasm: 
"Stranger,  if  I  had  the  eddification  you've  got,  I  wouldn't 
stay  here,  nor  nowhere  else!" 

The  "short  and  simple  annals"  of  the  pioneers  of  South 
Florida' might  fill  many  a  volume  larger  than  this  one,  and 
might  be  made  to  embrace  many  thrilling  scenes  and  adven- 
tures, which  as  yet  lie  dormant  and  imknown  to  all  ex- 
cept those  who  figured  in  them.  Mine  has  bjeen  the  f  n-^une 
to  speak  to  a  larger  audience,  and  should  my  desire  for  the 
entertainment  of  my  readers  be  fulfilled,  I  shall  be  encouraged 
to  give  other  sketches  of  life  in  the  far  South,  in  another 
edition. 

With    this,    I    take  leave  of  you,  commending  my  little 
book  to  your  kindest  consideration. 


136  .  SCENES  IN  SOUTH  FLORIDA. 

a  couple  of  pieces  of  hard-tack  in  his  pocket,  and  sallied  forth 
hi  quest  of  the  wonderful  combination-homestead,  and  he 
would  be  gone  for  thx-ee  or  four  days.  His  "widow  and  or- 
phans," which  he  was  in  the  habit  of  calling  his  wife  and 
children,  (with  more  propriety,  perhaps,  than  he  was  aware 
of)  had  to  scratch  around  pretty  lively  for  a  living,  while  he 
was  hunting  for  the  "natral  spring  and  mill-site,"  and  they 
had  perhaps  long  ago  given  up  all  hope  of  his  success. 
The  last  I  heard  of  the  Hunter  family  was  a' letter  from  Mrs. 
Hunter,  written  to  a  friend  in  Tampa,  saying  that  she  would 
rather  be  in  Florida  with  a  pone  of  corn  bread,  than  to  live  in 
any  other  State  with  all  manner  of  delicacies  imaginable. 

The  moral  of  the  above  incident  is,  of  course,  that  you 
shouldn't  are  to  Florida,  unless  you  comeiprepared  to  take 
it  as  it  comes.  Hunter's  restless  disposition*' would  not  allow 
him  to  settle  anywhere.  It  reijiinds  me  of  fa  yarn  I  heard 
of  a  grandiloquent  Yankee,  who  used  some  pretty  big  wcyds 
where  they  were  not  needed.  A  Cracker  standing  near  by, 
whose  mouth  had  gradually  expanded  as  he  took  in  the  ripple 
of  elegant  English,  exclaimed  with  a  burst  of  native  sarcasm: 
"Stranger,  if  I  had  the  eddification  you've  got,  I  wouldn't 
stay  here,  nor  nowhere  else!" 

The  "short  and  simple  annals"  of  the  pioneers  of  South 
Florida- might  fill  many  a  volume  larger  than  this  one,  and 
might  b'e  made  to  embrace  many  thrilling  scenes  and  adven- 
tures, which  as  yet  lie  dormant  and  unknown  to  all  ex- 
cept those  who  figured  in  them.  Mine  has  l^een  the  f  .i-mne 
to  speak  to  a  larger  audience,  and  should  my  desire  for  the 
entertainment  of  my  readers  be  fulfilled,  I  shall  be  encouraged 
to  give  other  sketches  of  life  in  the  far  South,  in  another 
edition. 

With  this,  I  take  leave  of  you,  commending  my  little 
book  to  your  kindest  consideration. 


